Amber (Dutch singer)

Marie-Claire Cremers (born 9 May 1969), known professionally as Amber, is a Dutch-born singer, songwriter, label owner, and executive producer. She is best known for her hits "This Is Your Night", "If You Could Read My Mind", and "Sexual (Li Da Di)". In December 2016, Billboard ranked her as the 34th-most successful dance artist of all time. The magazine later declared her the #7 Dance Singles Sales Artist of the 2000s.

Amber is extremely popular among dance club music enthusiasts and especially in the gay community. She is an outspoken LGBTQ advocate who has headlined dozens of Pride celebrations, earning her recognition as one of the "Queens of Pride".

Recently, Amber's career has experienced a resurgence. Tommy Boy Records, the singer's original label now owned by Reservoir Media, began releasing previously vaulted remixes of her songs to digital platforms worldwide in 2022. Six of 9 releases have been Top 3 hits on the iTunes US Dance Albums Chart, four going all the way to #1: "Above the Clouds (Remixes)," "Love One Another (Remixes)," "Colour of Love (Remixes)," and "If You Could Read My Mind (25th Anniversary Edition)". The success of the 2022 and 2023 re-releases of Amber's singles reignited interest in her catalog. Her "This is Your Night (1996)," "Amber (1999)," and "Naked (2002)" CDs charted on the Amazon Euro Pop and Dance Pop Bestsellers charts in Summer and Fall 2023 with "Naked" placing as high as #23.

1996–1997: Debut Album This is Your Night
Amber's music career took off when one of her demos, "This Is Your Night", was released by Tommy Boy Records. The single was on the Hot 100 chart for one year in 1996 and 1997. A full-length album of the same name soon followed, which spawned two additional hit singles: "Colour of Love" and the Hani remix of "One More Night".

The song "This is Your Night" has become a classic that is routinely ranked among the best dance tracks of the 1990s. It was used in the film "A Night at the Roxbury" and has been included in countless dance compilations and playlists. More recently, the track has become popular in fan-made TikTok and YouTube videos with collective views in the millions.

Amber re-recorded "This is Your Night" in 2008 and "One More Night" in 2011 and released multi-track singles on digital platforms. Remix albums of "Colour of Love (Remixes)" and "This is Your Night (Special Edition)" were released digitally in September 2022 and June 2023, respectively. In August 2023, vault remixes of "Being With You," a Smokey Robinson cover, were issued, followed in September 2023 by "Colour of Love, Part II (Bonus Remixes)". "One More Night (Remixes)" dropped in October 2023 and included 17 club versions by Junior Vasquez, Fitch Bros., and Hani among others. It peaked at #4 on the iTunes US Dance Albums chart.

1998–1999: Self-Titled Second Album AMBER
In 1999, Amber released her eponymous self-titled second album which garnered the most mainstream attention thus far. The album's release was preceded in 1998 by the single "If You Could Read My Mind," by Stars on 54 (a collaboration with Ultra Naté and Jocelyn Enriquez) which was recorded for the Miramax film 54. Amber performed the song with Nate and Enriquez in the closing scene of the movie.

The first official single from AMBER was "Sexual (Li Da Di)," which charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 17 weeks at #1 on the Singles Sales Chart. The album also included the #1 dance hits "Above the Clouds" and "Love One Another". The former song as well as the album track "Object of Your Desire" later gained additional exposure when licensed for the HBO series "Sex and the City".

In addition to the four American singles, German label ZYX also released "Do That To Me One More Time" and "I Found Myself in You". "Do That to Me One More Time" was recorded exclusively for the European market and issued with an accompanying video that was shot in Manhattan. In 2007, Amber re-recorded many of the tracks from the album and released them to digital media platforms. This included: "Sexual (Li Da Di)," "Above the Clouds," "Spiritual Virginity," which the artist confirmed was under consideration as a single when the album was originally released, "Object of Your Desire," "Love One Another," and "If I'm Not the One".

More recently, never-before-released remixes of the AMBER album hit singles have been issued digitally: "Sexual (Li Da Di) [Plasma Trance Remix - Extended]," "Above the Clouds (Remixes)," and "Love One Another (Remixes)". The latter two peaked at #1 on the iTunes Dance Albums Chart in July 2022 and August 2022, respectively. The success of these releases renewed interest in the AMBER album which also charted in the Top 10 on Amazon's Digital Dance/Pop Albums.

In July 2023, "If You Could Read My Mind (25th Anniversary Edition)" was issued with 16 remixes by Hex Hector and Steve "Silk" Hurley. It debuted at #1 on the iTunes US Dance Albums Chart. "Sexual (Li Da Di)" Remixes peaked at #3 on the same chart in February 2024.

On May 31, 2024, Amber and Tommy Boy Records marked the 25th anniversary of AMBER by releasing a double CD and two vinyl versions, black and silver, the latter becoming a bestseller at Barnes & Noble. The set includes the original album as well as remixes.

2000: The Hits Remixed and Grammy Nomination
Amber's next release was a compilation of remixes titled appropriately The Hits Remixed (2000). This album contained all of her hit singles up to that point, including "If You Could Read My Mind," as well as the non-album track "Taste the Tears" which she recorded for the Sex and the City TV Soundtrack. "Taste the Tears" was written by Diane Warren (Celine Dion, Whitney Houston) and produced by Chris Cox and Barry Harris (collectively known as Thunderpuss).

Remixes of "Love One Another" and "Taste the Tears" were commissioned to promote the album. "Love One Another," which peaked at #1 on the Billboard Dance Club Play Chart, hence became the fourth overall single from AMBER and the first from The Hits Remixed. Meanwhile, the remixes of "Taste the Tears" were issued as a promo-only single to club DJs.

In addition to releasing a string of #1 dance hits, Amber achieved many other career highlights in the early 2000s. Bette Midler recorded "Bless You Child," (Bette (2000)) which the songwriter co-penned with Billy Steinberg and Rick Nowels, and Amber was invited to sing on Nile Rodger's charity single "We Are Family" alongside many Grammy nominees and winners. Several multi-track EPs were released with remixes by Thunderpuss, Murk, E. Lake, and Robbie Rivera, and a video was directed by Spike Lee in which Amber can be seen sharing the microphone with Dionne Warwick.

Another milestone was achieved in 2001 when Cher covered "Love One Another" for her album Living Proof. The song returned to #1 when issued as a double A-side with "When the Money's Gone" (2003) and was nominated for a Grammy Award as Best Dance Recording, an accolade that Amber shared as co-songwriter.

Amber's version of "Love One Another" was back on fan playlists in June 2022 when Tommy Boy Records issued "The Hits Remixed - Extended," an album that was originally released exclusively on vinyl to DJs. The digital compilation included many never-before commercially available full-length club remixes of Amber's hits. It peaked at #2 (Amazon Digital Dance Albums) behind Honestly, Nevermind by Drake, which dominated every eligible chart at the time. The teaser single "Sexual (Li Da Di) [Plasma Trance Remix - Extended]" made its digital debut in May 2022 in advance of the release of "The Hits Remixed - Extended".

2001–2003: Naked and Departure From Tommy Boy Records
Amber's third album Naked was released in early 2002. Musically, Amber continued the path she had started with: she continued to co-write her own songs and lyrics and attempted even more of a departure from her original Eurodance sound. Three singles were culled from the album: "Yes,” “The Need to Be Naked," and "Anyway (Men Are From Mars)". The latter was the first hit song of her career that the artist wrote entirely on her own.

The lead single "Yes" was written by Billy Steinberg, Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo, and Rick Nowels who had previously penned Amber's "Above the Clouds" as well as "Falling Into You," which was recorded by Celine Dion. In perhaps a first for a pop music song, the track used lyrics from Classical Literature's Ulysses, which were licensed from the Estate of James Joyce. Joyce was credited as co-songwriter.

Mainstream radio's reaction to "Yes" was reminiscent of the attitude towards "Sexual (Li Da Di)" two years earlier. Programmers expressed concern about the perceived sexual subtext of the track and the use of the word "breast". It was suggested at the time that she change the lyric from "breast" to "breath" which she refused to do.

Amber parted ways with Tommy Boy Records (then under previous ownership) after the promotional cycle for Naked was completed because of creative differences. According to Amber, she was unhappy with the direction of her career as well as the way that her label had handled the marketing of Naked.

In 2007, Amber re-recorded many of the tracks on Naked for digital release. These included: "Don't Say Goodbye (3/4 Dance Mix)," "Yes (Spanish Version)," and "The Need to Be Naked (Thunder Fake Mix)". In addition, newly recorded versions of "He" and "Anyway" were released on the digital compilation album Undanced II (Unreleased Remixes/Songs) (2007).

2004–2006: My Kind of World and Melt With the Sun
Amber created her own label JMCA after successfully buying out her previous contract. The initial release by JMCA was Amber's fourth album, My Kind of World. The moodier tone and more intimate songs were a departure for the artist who was known for her up-tempo dance hits. Amber nevertheless issued three maxi-singles with remixes for "You Move Me", "Voodoo" and "Just Like That" and these versions performed well in the clubs and on dance radio. Additional remixes of "More Time for a Child (Pathos V2)," "You Move Me (Funkadelica Mix)," "Just Like That (Pathos V2)," and "City of Pain (Pathos V2)" were released on Undanced II (2007).

After promotion for My Kind of World had run its course, Amber collaborated with Sweet Rains on the stand-alone single "Melt With the Sun" (December 12, 2006). The maxi single included an all-star roster of remix artists: Tracy Young, Hex Hector, Al B Rich, AM Corona, and Lance Jordan.

2008–2011: Re-Recordings and Stand Alone Singles
In 2008, Amber re-released her debut single "This Is Your Night" with new remixes. She followed up by collaborating with Zelma Davis of C+C Music Factory fame on a cover of "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)", the classic duet by Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand. Both songs were accompanied by new music videos.

In 2009, she dropped "I Don't Believe in Hate (Drip Drop)" after discovering the track on the MySpace page of singer/songwriter Kelly Mueller and securing permission to be the first to officially release it. Two years later, she issued her final new recording to date, a remake of "One More Night" (2011).

2022-2024 Vault Remixes and New Album
In 2022, Tommy Boy Records began releasing vault remixes of Amber's hit singles. So far, this has included:
 * Sexual (Li Da Di) [Plasma Trance Remix - Extended] (May 2022)
 * The Hits Remixed - Extended (June 2022)
 * Above the Clouds (Remixes) (July 2022)
 * Love One Another (Remixes) (August 2022)
 * Colour of Love (Remixes) (September 2022)
 * This is Your Night Special Edition (Remixes) (June 2023)
 * If You Could Read My Mind 25th Anniversary Edition (Remixes) (July 2023)
 * Being With You (Remixes) (August 2023)
 * Colour of Love, Part II (Bonus Remixes) (September 2023)
 * One More Night (Remixes) (October 2023)
 * Sexual (Li Da Di) (Remixes) (February 2024)

In the early-mid 2010s, Amber teased on social media that she was recording a new album, which as of mid-2023 still has not been released. With the recent chart-topping success of the vault remixes, there is speculation online that the album may soon see the light of day. This has not been confirmed.

Compilation albums

 * Remixed (2000)
 * Undanced (2004)
 * Undanced II (2007)