Diane Charlemagne

In 2015, she provided the backing vocals for Ricky Valance's single "Welcome Home" in aid to raise money for various RAF charities.

After being diagnosed with kidney cancer the previous year, Charlemagne died of the disease on 28 October 2015, aged 51.

In 2014, she again collaborated with S.P.Y on the tracks "Dusty Fingers" and "Back To Basics" for the album Back To Basics Chapter One and then later on "Lost Orbit" and "Frozen" for the album Back To Basics Chapter Two. She also worked with London Elektricity and S.P.Y on the track "I Am Somebody" for the Street Child World Cup.

In 2006, she collaborated with Scape on the house track and dance chart hit Be My Friend (as D Empress). 2007, she collaborated with High Contrast on his track "If We Ever" for the album Tough Guys Don't Dance. The following year she worked with D:Ream, who had recently reformed, and in 2011, she collaborated with Aquasky on their dubstep track "Take Me There". In 2012, she collaborated with Netsky on his track "Wanna Die For You" for the album 2, and worked with S.P.Y on his drum and bass track "Hammer in My Heart" for the album What the Future Holds.

Charlemagne was lead singer with 1980s funk band 52nd Street, having replaced previous lead vocalist Beverley McDonald in 1984. In 1990, 52nd Street re-emerged as Cool Down Zone, with Charlemagne providing vocals as well as having writing credits on all 10 songs on their album New Direction. Later she was lead singer with Urban Cookie Collective, who had two UK Top 10 hits in the 1990s.

Diane Charlemagne (22 February 1964 – 28 October 2015) was a British jazz, soul, funk and electronic dance music singer and songwriter.