
Yazz (born Yasmin Evans; 19 May 1960) is a British pop singer, who remains perhaps best known for her 1988 UK number one single "The Only Way Is Up". Some of her records are credited to Yazz and the Plastic Population.
Yazz was born in Shepherd's Bush, London, to a Jamaican father and a British mother. She attended Holland Park School, where she excelled at sports, including the 400 metres. She was also a member of the England under-19 volleyball team. Following a spell as a catwalk model, she scored a number of club hits after recording with the group the Biz in 1983. Her first commercial success came in early 1988, when she sang on Coldcut's "Doctorin' the House". She soon launched a solo career on Big Life records, a label set up by her husband Jazz Summers, releasing her debut solo single, "The Only Way Is Up", in the summer of 1988. It went on to spend five weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart, eventually becoming the second-biggest-selling UK single of the year. Her follow-up "Stand Up for Your Love Rights" was another big hit (UK number 2),) while her debut album Wanted (UK number 3) was certified double platinum in the UK in September 1989 for sales exceeding 600,000.
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Links to Peel[]
Peel played Coldcut's "Doctorin' the House" on his shows in 1988 which featured Yazz singing. Some of the "Doctorin' The House" 12" tracks which Peel played featured the vocals of Yazz, but he wasn't keen on her solo material and never played any of it on his radio programmes. Nonetheless, he did have a copy of Yazz's 'Wanted' album in his Record Collection: Y.
Shows Played[]
- 19 January 1988: Doctorin' The House (Vocal) (12") Ahead Of Our Time
- 03 February 1988: Doctorin' The House (12") Ahead Of Our Time
- 20 February 1988 (Radio Bremen): Doctorin' The House (Vocal) (12" A-Side) (12") Ahead Of Our Time