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Claudja Barry is one artist that continues to shine. Her first 12" single was "Sweet Dynamite" (Salsoul). Her most recent release "I Will Stand" (DonnaJean) topped the charts once again. In between these two it's been hits like the multimillion selling Platinum disco anthem "Boogie Woogie Dancin' Shoes" (Chrysalis), "Trippin' On the Moon" (Personal), "Work Me Over / I Will Follow" (TRS), "Down & Counting" (Epic), and "Good Time" (Radikal) that have maintained Claudja's presence on the international music scene. Her success has not been lost on the world of pop music: In Canada alone she's been nominated for nine Juno Awards (the Canadian Grammy) and was awarded the Juno for Best Female Artist.
Glamorous, multilingual and highly traveled Claudja has sung in some the world's best venues - among them Studio 54, The Saint, (NYC), The Palace (Paris), Budokan Hall (where she won the Silver Prize at the Tokyo Music Festival), and The Verona Arena (Italy). She is an artist whose stage presence, longevity, and performances have been noted and appreciated not only in the arena of pop/dance music, but also in film, theatre and television as an accomplished actress.
Born in Jamaica and raised in Canada, Claudja headed to New York City as a teenager to study acting at the Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio. She then moved to London where she landed the lead role in the Royal Court Theatre production of "AC/DC" which won the Evening Standard Critic's Award for Best Play. While living in England Claudja also starred in productions at the Travers Theatre in Edinburgh and The Cambridge Theatre in Cambridge. Her appearance in "AC/DC" led to a starring role in the German production of "Catch My Soul" (a musical adaptation of Shakespeare's "Othello") at Theatre des Westens in West Berlin. In Germany Claudja also appeared in musicals at The Friedrichsstadtpalast in East Berlin and the Frankfurter Opera. In the United States she appeared in such films as Rappin' and Paper People. Claudja studied Classical Opera in earnest under the tutelage of the noted Professor Gareis. A European tour with "Catch My Soul" took her to Munich where she met music producer Jurgen Korduletsch.
Together they formed a creative partnership - Jurgen producing and Claudja co-writing and performing. Claudja's initial success was in Europe and Canada, where she earned her Juno nominations and awards and became the first inductee to The Canadian Black Music Hall of Fame together with Oscar Peterson. In the United States she was nominated for an American Music Award for Best New Artist and appeared on the Seventh Annual Rhythm & Blues Awards.
Claudja took a brief respite from her entertainment career focusing this time on her daughter and family. In 2004, ready to begin performing again, Claudja contacted long time friend - producer/casting director, Jim Garrard who founded the film and television production company DonnaJean Entertainment. After joining DonnaJean Entertainment as a partner, together they formed DonnaJean Records to release her new album with Claudja in the driver's seat.
Finally, the demands of her millions of fans across the world have been answered with the chart-topping hit, "I Will Stand", and her return to the stage and screen. It is clear that Claudja has enjoyed longevity in the entertainment business, but she believes that even after all her success, the best is yet to come.
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