Jaki Graham has been played on NTS in shows including The Do!! You!!! Breakfast Show w/ Charlie Bones, featured first on 12 February 2016. Songs played include Hold On and Breaking Away (Special Dub "Multi Band Delayed" Re-Mix).

Jacqueline Graham (born 15 September 1956) is a British singer-songwriter. Following a hit duet version of "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" with David Grant in 1985, Graham achieved a further five UK top 20 hits over the following two years. In 1994, her cover version of Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody" reached number one on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

Graham was born in Birmingham to Jamaican parents. In 1983, after recording a session with a jazz-funk band called Medium Wave Band, she was discovered by a talent scout and signed to EMI Records. She released two solo singles in 1984, "Heaven Knows" and "Once More with the Feeling".

In early 1985, Graham released a duet with David Grant, a cover of the Detroit Spinners song "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love", which reached number 5 in the UK Singles Chart. Later that year, her solo single "Round and Around" returned her to the UK top 10. A second duet with Grant, "Mated", peaked at number 20.

In 1986, Graham released the single "Set Me Free", which reached number 7 in the UK and achieved success in several European countries. Her follow-up single "Breaking Away" reached number 14 in the UK. Her second album, also titled "Breaking Away", was released the same year. Later in 1986, a remixed version of "Step Right Up" reached the UK top 20.

During this period, American singer Michael McDonald sought a female vocalist for his track "On My Own" (originally recorded with Patti LaBelle) for a UK tour. After hearing Graham, he reportedly described her as one of the best singers Britain had produced. He later contributed material to her albums and featured her as a guest on UK tours.

In 1989, Graham released her third album on EMI, "From Now On". The album included the singles "From Now On" and "The Better Part of Me", neither of which reached the UK top 40.

In 1991, Graham joined Paul Hardcastle in the group Kiss the Sky. Their self-titled album was released the same year on Motown Records. In 1993, she was signed by AVEX International in Japan after being discovered at the Midem music conference. Work began on the album "Real Life", released in 1994. Singles from the album included "You Can Count on Me (For Love)", "Absolute E-Sensual" and "Ain't Nobody". The latter became her most successful international single, charting in Europe, Asia and Australia, and reaching number 1 on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart for five weeks.

In October 2009, Graham performed at Birmingham Town Hall with the BBC Big Band, presenting arrangements of George Gershwin compositions. The concert and its subsequent BBC Radio 2 broadcast received positive critical reception, leading to a further invitation in 2010 to perform Duke Ellington material.

In August 2010, a special edition of "Breaking Away" was released on CD in the UK and Ireland, featuring additional bonus tracks. Later that year, Graham toured the UK with Michael McDonald and Al Green on the Legends Arena Tour. Also in 2010, a compilation album titled "Absolute Essential – The Very Best of Jaki Graham" was released.

In 2011, Graham appeared as a guest on Cliff Richard's Soulicious arena tour, alongside several other guest performers. The concerts were recorded at London's O2 Arena and released on DVD.

In 2012, she recorded the album "For Sentimental Reasons" in Leeds with her band, completing production later that year. A new version of "Set Me Free 2012" was also released, featuring newly recorded vocals.

In 2016, Graham presented the radio programme "Soul on Sunday" on BBC Radio London. In 2018, she released the studio album "When a Woman Loves" on her own label, JNT Music Ltd.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaki_Graham

Studio albums Heaven Knows (1985) Breaking Away (1986) From Now On (1989) Real Life (1994) Hold On (1995) Rhythm of Life (1996) Don't Keep Me Waiting (1997) My Life (1998) For Sentimental Reasons (2012) When a Woman Loves (2018)