Claudia Fontaine (26 August 1960 – 13 March 2018) was a backing vocalist from Peckham, London.
During the 1980s, Fontaine and fellow backing vocalist Caron Wheeler (and later, third member Naomi Thompson) were known as Afrodiziak.[1] She made an appearance in the video "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" with Soul II Soul.
She joined a number of lovers rock trios, including Mellow Rose, One Love, and True Harmony, then emerged as a soloist. In 1981, she sang a hit single, "Natural High".
She also performed with such artists as The Jam, Paul Weller, Elvis Costello and The Attractions, Marilyn, Madness, Neneh Cherry, The Specials, Heaven 17, Hothouse Flowers and Howard Jones. Fontaine sang background vocals on the hit single "Free Nelson Mandela" by The Special AKA.[2] Fontaine was the lead vocalist on The Beatmasters' hit single of 1989 "Warm Love",[3] which is included on their debut album Anywayawanna.
She also sang lead vocals on the song "Deeper into Harmony" on The Beatmasters' album of 1992 Life & Soul. She performed backing vocals on Pink Floyd's The Division Bell Tour and the subsequent DVD and CD Pulse.[4] She also toured with Robbie Williams, and performed backing vocals on the album Sing When You're Winning. She was a backing vocalist for the Party at the Palace London concert.
Claudia Fontaine died on 13 March 2018, aged 57.