Tasmin Archer

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Tasmin Archer
Born (1963-08-03) 3 August 1963 (age 60)
Bradford, Yorkshire, England
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active1992–present
Labels
Websitetasminarcher.com

Tasmin Archer (born 3 August 1963) is a British pop singer from Bradford, England. Her first album, Great Expectations, spawned the hit "Sleeping Satellite", which reached number one in the United Kingdom[1] and Ireland.[2] She won the Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act in 1993 and has since released three more studio albums.

Early life[edit]

Archer was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, to Jamaican parents. She attended Grange Upper School and, after leaving, first worked as a sewing machine operator. She attended Bradford College in 1980 to study typing, and then became a clerk at Leeds Magistrates' Court.[3][4]

Archer joined a group called Dignity as a backing vocalist, and played with different bands around the Bradford area. She helped out at a recording studio in Bradford called Flexible Response Studios, and subsequently began working with musicians John Hughes and John Beck as "The Archers". During this time, Archer developed skills in the music business.[5]

Musical career[edit]

Great Expectations[edit]

Archer signed to EMI in 1990 and released her first single, "Sleeping Satellite," in September 1992, which went to number one on the UK Singles Chart.[1][6] The single also enjoyed success in the US, where it peaked at number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100.[7] The album Great Expectations followed in October 1992. It reached number eight on the UK Albums Chart,[1] and achieved gold disc status by December for sales of more than 100,000 copies.[8] Further singles from the album followed, and although they were Top 40 hits in the UK, they did not achieve the same level of success as her début.

Archer donated the royalties from her second single "In Your Care" to Childline. The song was about child abuse.[3] In 1993 Archer won a BRIT Award for the Best British Breakthrough Act. She later joked that she kept her award in the back of her kitchen cupboard and claimed that she used it for cracking nuts and tenderising steak.[5]

Bloom[edit]

After disappearing from the limelight, Archer reappeared in 1996 with her second album Bloom. However, the single "One More Good Night with the Boys" failed to reach the UK Top 40, and the album peaked at number 95.[1] In late 1997, disagreements with EMI left Archer somewhat disillusioned and feeling like she had been treated as a commodity. She decided to take a short break from the industry, after being let go by EMI.[9] This break lasted two years.

After the break, Archer felt the time was right to start writing again, but now she was hindered by writer's block. Although this did not prevent her from being initially creative, she found it difficult to finish anything musically.[10]

On[edit]

After working through the block and starting in 2002, Archer and Hughes worked on a new album. Initially this was going to be titled Non-Linear, but later became On. Several demo versions of the songs from this album were available for free from the messagetothemagnet website, which was created for the purpose. People were encouraged to send feedback on the material.

On was released on 25 September 2006 on Archer's own label, Quiverdisc. It was preceded on 20 September by a download-only single, "Every Time I Want It (Effect Is Monotony)", a radio edit of the album track "Effect Is Monotony".

Other work[edit]

In a 2006 interview, Archer said she and John Hughes were pursuing opportunities to write for film and TV soundtracks.[10] Subsequently, the partners provided work for EastEnders and other shows.

Upcoming album (Spring 2024)[edit]

Archer has frequently mentioned working on a new album on her X (formerly Twitter) account since 2020. Her artist message on Spotify Wrapped in November 2023 included a mention of a new album to be released before Spring 2024.[1]

At the beginning of December 2023, Archer also confirmed this through X, tweeting "A big thank you to each and everyone of you for streaming my music! New album coming spring next year [2024]."[2]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Awards Work Category Result Ref.
1993 Brit Awards Herself British Breakthrough Act Won [11]
British Female Solo Artist Nominated
"Sleeping Satellite" British Video of the Year Nominated
RSH Gold Awards Herself Power Groove of the Year Won [12]

Discography[edit]

Studio albums[edit]

Year Album Peak positions Certifications
UK
[1]
AUS
[13]
AUT
[14]
GER
[15]
NZ
[16]
SWE
[17]
SWI
[18]
US
[19]
1992 Great Expectations 8 56 26 34 31 38 26 115
1994 Shipbuilding 40
1996 Bloom 95
2006 On
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Compilations[edit]

  • Premium Gold Collection (2000)
  • Singer/Songwriter (2004)
  • The Best Of (2009)
  • Sweet Little Truths: The EMI Recordings 1992–1996 (2020) – 3-CD set containing remastered, expanded versions of Great Expectations and Bloom plus B-sides, remixes and live versions.

Singles[edit]

Year Single Peak positions Certifications Album
UK
[1]
AUS
[13]
FRA
[20]
GER
[21]
IRE
[2]
NL
[22]
NZ
[16]
SWE
[17]
SWI
[23]
US
[7]
1992 "Sleeping Satellite" 1 14 6 12 1 8 12 4 5 32 BPI: Silver[8] Great Expectations
1993 "In Your Care" 16 145 37
"Lords of the New Church" 26 40
"Somebody's Daughter" (Germany only) 57
"Arienne" 30
1994 "Shipbuilding" EP 40 Shipbuilding
1996 "One More Good Night with the Boys" 45 189 Bloom
"Sweet Little Truth" 176
2006 "Every Time I Want It (Effect Is Monotony)"
(digital download)
On
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f UK chart peaks:
    • Top 100 peaks: "Official Charts > Tasmin Archer". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
    • Top 200 peaks from November 1994 to December 2010: "Chart Log UK 1994–2010 > A – Azzido Da Bass". Dipl.-Bibl.(FH) Tobias Zywietz. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  2. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – All there is to know > Search results for 'Tasmin Archer' (from irishcharts.ie)". Fireball Media, via Imgur.com. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Tasmin Archer". Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  4. ^ "Zayn Malik to Tasmin Archer – Bradford and the Brit Awards". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Tasmin Archer". Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  6. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 27. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  7. ^ a b "Billboard > Tasmin Archer > Chart History > The Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  8. ^ a b c "Screen shot of search results for 'Tasmin Archer' from (bpi.co.uk)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  9. ^ Lister, Derek A J (2004). Bradford's Own. Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0-7509-3826-9.
  10. ^ a b "Tasmin Archer interview". 5 December 2006. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  11. ^ "History".
  12. ^ "Startseite". Archived from the original on 27 June 2015.
  13. ^ a b Australian (ARIA) chart peaks:
  14. ^ "austriancharts.at > Tasmin Archer in der Österreichischen Hitparade" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  15. ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts > Tasmin Archer - Great Expectations (album)" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  16. ^ a b "charts.nz > Tasmin Archer in New Zealand Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  17. ^ a b "swedishcharts.com > Tasmin Archer in Swedish Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  18. ^ "hitparade.ch > Suchen nach: Tasmin Archer (Alben" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  19. ^ "Billboard > Tasmin Archer > Chart History > Billboard 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  20. ^ "lescharts.com > Tasmin Archer dans les Charts Français" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  21. ^ German singles chart peaks:
  22. ^ "dutchcharts.nl > Tasmin Archer in Dutch Charts" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  23. ^ "hitparade.ch > Suchen nach: Tasmin Archer (Songs)" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 November 2019.

External links[edit]