A graduate of gospel choirs and drag balls, Celeda counts dance music legends like Sylvester and Martha Wash among her influences. Turning out tracks for well over a decade now, the Chicago singer-songwriter has collaborated with top beatmasters like Danny Tenaglia, Maurice Joshua, Peter Rauhofer, and Tom Stephan, preferring the sounds of progressive house. Though she’s adopted a drag persona for her music career, this isn’t RuPaul-like dance pop, children.
Writing and singing songs about self-acceptance, looking to a better day, or expressing her love of the groove itself (sometimes entwining all three themes), Celeda’s music has been embraced the world over. Her discography includes several top ten Billboard dance hits, including three number ones (“The Underground,” “Dirtyfilthy,” and “Amazing”).
Celeda’s latest is “Believe In The Music,” released through Rauhofer’s Star 69 Records last summer. Now, some months later, a “Part 2” has arrived, bringing the total count of available dance mixes to twelve.
With extended versions aplenty, there’s something for every clubber’s taste, but I’ve got big love for the radio mix. Running under four minutes, it’s a brilliant distillation of what Celeda’s been doing so well all these years:
Purchase Celeda – “Believe In The Music” (Radio Mix) exclusively via Beatport, which has nearly all of the other mixes available for download. iTunes has a few, and Star 69 Records has Part 1.