Mica as a singer
The range, power, and sheer soulfulness of Mica's singing made a major impact on the UK scene and in the following year, 1988, she released her debut, platinum-selling album with 4th & Broadway when she was 17 years old. "My One Temptation" was the lead single. This led to a collaboration with American soul singer Will Downing on a cover version of a classic "Where Is the Love", made famous by Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack in the early '70s.
The follow-up album, Contribution was released in 1991. This extended Mica's soul and gospel influences to bring in hip-hop and house music and It featured the track "If I Love U 2 Nite", written especially for Mica by Prince, which she recorded at his Paisley Park studios. With Omar Lye-Fook, a classically trained musician Paris recorded "I Should Have Known Better" in 1990. It was issued on the B-side to "I Never Felt Like This Before". Paris also recorded with Anita Baker, Bonnie Raitt and Natalie Cole on the album Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute for a Free South Africa (1990), and provided the title track to Isaac Julien's Young Soul Rebels movie soundtrack the following year. She worked with the saxophonist Courtney Pine ("Redemption Song" - 1992), the Stereo MCs ("Don't Let Up" - 1992) and Bobby Womack ("I Wish I'd Never Met You" - 1991).
Mica's third album, Whisper A Prayer (1993) marked another departure for Mica, fusing soul, jazz and blues with lush string arrangements. Garnering further top twenty singles ' Never Felt Like This Before and ' Wanna Hold On To You'. This followed by more collaboration work on album tracks with Guru on his Jazzmatazz II ("Looking Through Darkness" in 1995), Mark Morrison ("Tears For You" - 1996) and Maxwell ("Mantra" - 1996).
Paris released the album Black Angel on Chrysalis in 1998. It contained a cover version of U2's "One", and a duet with James Ingram. "Black Angel" produced two more top twenty singles 'Stay' and 'Carefree'. More collaborations followed with Omar ("Confection" - 1994), Max Beesley ("High Vibes" - 1994), Dubversive ("Police & Thieves" - 1998), the Mobo All Stars compilation album in 1998, Mister Exe ("One Million Smiles" - 1998), Prince ("Just My Imagination" - 2000) and Boy George ("I Could Be Someone" - 2000). A particularly memorable collaboration with Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and Jools Holland on Screamin' Jay Hawkins' classic track, '("I Put A Spell On You' followed in 2001. The trio had regrouped on numerous occasions to perform the hit.
A best of collection was released in 1999.
Two years later Paris lent her voice to Walt Disney Pictures (Touchstone Pictures) soundtrack for, High Heels and Low Lifes, which was later included in the Primal Screen soundtrack compilation album (2001).
In 2003, following 3 sellout nights at London's The Jazz Cafe Mica released the Moby sampling 'Heart' with Seraphim Suite. Mica also joined Omar onstage for his gig at The Shepherds Bush Empire. She also contributed to the track 'I Don't Understand' on Milk & Sugar album Housmusic.de. 2004 saw Mica feature as a guest on 'The new Inspirational Choir' album 'Inspirations' along with Keisha White and Jocelyn Brown. This took Mica back to her Gospel roots.
Mica collaborated on the track 'Bodyswerve' by M-Gee in 2005. The track was incredibly successful in the club charts and can be found on many dance compilations released to this day.
In 2005, Paris released the album If You Could Love Me (Wounded Bird Records), which featured backing from the Brecker Brothers on the title track. Also in 2005, she released an album, Soul Classics, a collection of the most celebrated and loved soul tracks chosen by listeners of her BBC Radio 2 programme 'Soul Solutions' and then jetted off to Australia for a few months to do some live performances at the Basement in Sydney.[1] Mica can also be found duetting on the track 'Run' with Jimmy Barnes on his 2005 "Double Happiness" album.
Mica collaborated with Lemar on the track 'Can't you see' on his album 'The truth About Love' in 2006.
In February 2008 Mica released the duet 'Secret lovers' with Alexander O'Neal. This was followed by a residency at the Indigo 02 'Mica Paris & friends' in May and every last Sunday of each month.
2009 sees the release of Mica's new album 'Born Again', indicating a fully fledged return to her first passion: music. She has embarked on a nationwide tour meeting fans old and new and reminding her millions of TV fans what first put her in the public eye twenty- two years ago. This includes sell out dates at the Jazz Cafe in February 2009 to showcase her upcoming material. The album is released June 1st and has been produced by the legendary 'hit- maker', Brian Rawling. James Morrison (singer) wrote Mica's first single, 'Baby Come Back Now' - an up- tempo retro tune, penned especially for Mica's soaring vocals.
Mica as a radio and television presenter
Throughout 2000s Mica actively engaged her other talents, as a celebrated television presenter, an actress and author. Although she remained behind the microphone, in 2002 Paris moved to the presenter's chair, when she hosted the 'Soul Solutions' programme on BBC Radio 2 and narrated several music documentaries for the station. She also presented the 2002 Channel 4 television documentary The Gospel of Gospel which revealed the influence of the black American church tradition on pop music. Produced and directed by David Upshal, it featured contributions from Ray Charles, Isaac Hayes, B. B. King, Al Green, Chaka Khan, Alexander O'Neal, Edwin Hawkins, The Blind Boys of Alabama and Mary Mary. Furthermore, she broadcast a two-part show, 'Purple Reign: The Prince Story', on BBC Radio 2 which covered the entirety of the American artist's controversial career and featured interviews with George Clinton, Chaka Khan and Jimmy Jam.
In 2005 Mica appeared on week three of the ITV reality show, Hit Me, Baby, One More Time, which was won by Carol Decker. The same year she made an appearance in, and was the winner of, week one in the second series of Come Dine With Me. From 2007, she was a co-host for two seasons of the popular consumer style programme, What Not to Wear for BBC Television. Other television presenting has followed with Mica being and expert judge on Gok Wan's Miss Naked Beautyfor Channel 4 and ITV's CelebAir. Paris continues to appear on a variety of television programmes – from Channel 5's news talk show, The Wright Stuff, ITV1's all-female panel talk show, Loose Women, and BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing.
Mica as an actress
In 1993, Mica turned to the stage, where she starred in two acclaimed West End shows, 'Mama I Want to Sing' and 'Sweet Lorraine'.
In October 2004, Paris took part in the UK tour of the stage play, The Vagina Monologues.
In 2007, she played the part of Amelia Walker, a (fictitious) American jazz singer, in a drama made for television, Marple: At Bertram's Hotel; during the drama the character gives a concert at the Royal Albert Hall, and also sings with Louis Armstrong's band in the hotel dining room whilst both were guests at the hotel, which was central to the plot.
Mica as an author
While presenting 'What Not To Wear', Mica encountered many woman who's stories touched her. She began to examine her own life and choices and was compelled to tell her story in a bid to inspire confidence and self- esteem to those woman and others that find life overwhelming at times. Thus her book "Beautiful Within: Finding Happiness and Confidence in Your Own Skin" was born. It was published by Simon & Shuster UK. ISBN-10: 1847370853, ISBN-13: 9781847370853 and was an instant hit. The paperback was released August 2008.
Breathe Life Into Me
Mica Paris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
C'mon breathe life into me
Breath of love
In Your eyes I see the dawn
And the sunrise of creation
So many dreams have come and gone
Unfulfilled until today
You know I need your inspiration
This was once a barren land
Where endless winters froze the sea
Start the miracle growing inside
Feeling two hearts beat in tine
Breathe life into me
C'mon breathe life into me
Give me love I've never known
Breath life into me
C'mon breathe life into me
Breath of love
Build a new world of our own
Through the forest
Through the sea
You send the message of eternity
All nature's secrets have their code
Only your love holds the key
In every place
Where the sun never shines
Life is waiting for love to survive
Breathe life into me
C'mon breathe life into me
I've been waiting for so long
Breath life into me
C'mon breathe life into me
In a world where life goes on
No, the search is never easy
It's a swim against the tide
And the chances are
A billion to one
When you touch me with affection
I can feel your faith in me
And a new life has begun
Breathe life into me
C'mon breathe life into me
C'mon
C'mon
Breathe
Breathe your life into me
Breathe life into me
Breathe life
Breath of love
I've been waiting oh so long
Breath life into me
In a world where life goes on
Breath life
Breath of love
In a world where life goes on
Breathe life into me
The lyrics to Mica Paris’s song “Breathe Life Into Me” express a deep sense of longing for love, inspiration, and purpose. The singer pleads with her lover to breathe life into her, to give her the love she’s never known and to help her build a new world of their own. The repeated phrases “breathe life into me” and “breath of love” convey a sense of urgency and desperation, highlighting the singer’s desire to feel alive and fulfilled.
In the first verse, Paris describes how her lover’s eyes are like the sunrise of creation, and how his touch can bring new life to a once-barren land. She paints a picture of two hearts beating in time, suggesting a deep connection and intimacy between the two lovers. In the second verse, Paris speaks of the power of love to unlock the secrets of nature and to bring life to even the darkest places where the sun never shines. She acknowledges that the search for love is never easy but suggests that when she feels her lover’s faith and affection, a new life has begun.
Overall, “Breathe Life Into Me” is a powerful love song that expresses a deep need for connection, inspiration, and purpose in life. The repeated phrase “breathe life into me” is both a plea and a prayer, suggesting that the singer is searching for something more than just physical intimacy; she wants her lover to help her feel alive and fulfilled in every aspect of her being.
Line by Line Meaning
Breathe life into me
I need you to bring me to life
C'mon breathe life into me
Please, hurry up and do it now
Breath of love
Your love is what I need to breathe
In Your eyes I see the dawn
I feel like I'm witnessing the beginning of a new day
And the sunrise of creation
Like I'm seeing the start of something amazing
So many dreams have come and gone
I've had many hopes but few have become reality
Unfulfilled until today
But with you, I can see those dreams becoming real
Reach out and touch me like the sun
Bring me warmth and life like the sun does to the earth
You know I need your inspiration
I can't do it alone, I need your guidance and support
This was once a barren land
My life was empty and without meaning
Where endless winters froze the sea
Everything was stagnant and frozen, with no hope of change
Start the miracle growing inside
But with your help, I can start something amazing
Feeling two hearts beat in time
Together, we are stronger
Give me love I've never known
Show me love that is deeper and more real than anything I've experienced before
Build a new world of our own
Let's create a new future together
Through the forest
In any obstacle that comes our way
Through the sea
Even if we have to face rough waters
You send the message of eternity
With you, I feel like we can conquer anything and last forever
All nature's secrets have their code
The mysteries of the world are all connected in a way that only you and I can understand
Only your love holds the key
It is only through your love that I can truly understand the world
In every place
Regardless of where we are
Where the sun never shines
Even in the darkest of moments
Life is waiting for love to survive
There is always hope as long as we have love
I've been waiting for so long
I've been searching for something meaningful all my life
No, the search is never easy
It's hard to find something meaningful in this world
It's a swim against the tide
It feels like an uphill battle
And the chances are
The odds are not in our favor
A billion to one
It feels like the likelihood of success is incredibly low
When you touch me with affection
But when you show me love and care
I can feel your faith in me
I feel like I can take on anything with you by my side
And a new life has begun
I feel like I'm starting a new chapter in my life with you
C'mon
Hurry up
Breathe
Give me life
Breathe your life into me
Bring me to life with your love
Breathe life
Revive me
I've been waiting oh so long
I've been waiting for someone to bring me to life for a very long time
In a world where life goes on
In a world where things happen as normal
Breath life
Give me breath
Breath of love
Breathe love into me
Breathe life into me
Bring me to life with your love
Contributed by Lauren S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.