Marcella Woods on The Voice Behind a Generation of Dance Anthems

Marcella Woods is the voice behind some of the most recognisable anthems from the golden era of dance music, including Beautiful, Liberation (Fly Like An Angel) and El Niño. In this episode of the Dexter Jones Podcast, Marcella tells the incredible stories behind those records, including how Liberation was recorded in just 20 minutes and how the vocal for Beautiful was nailed on the very first take. Marcella also takes us back to the clubs that shaped her, from Bagley's and Strawberry Sundae to Freedom and The Fridge, and explains how a chance introduction eventually led her to Matt Darey and a string of records that would become part of dance music history. But Marcella's story hasn't stopped there. Now in her 50s, she's taken on an entirely new challenge: becoming a DJ. After just six hours of intensive training before her first gig, she's gone on to play festivals and events, finding herself handing over the decks to artists including Mauro Picotto, Dave Pearce and Signum. We also talk about why dance vocalists haven't always received the recognition they deserve, Marcella's extraordinary classical musical background, the realities of balancing music with family life, and why she's still every bit as passionate about dance music today. A brilliant conversation with one of the voices behind the soundtrack to a generation. Subscribe to the Dexter Jones Podcast for weekly conversations celebrating the DJs, artists, clubs and stories that shaped dance music culture. CHAPTERS 00:00 Liberation Was Recorded in 20 Minutes 00:18 Marcella Woods & The Story of Beautiful 02:35 From Vocalist to DJ 04:37 Bagley's & The Golden Era of Clubbing 07:12 Marcella's New Life Behind the Decks 09:56 Hearing Your Own Voice on a Dancefloor 10:49 Do Dance Vocalists Get Enough Recognition? 12:14 Singing vs DJing 14:09 Nine Gigs a Weekend 15:53 Could Beautiful Be a Hit Today? 17:24 Marcella's Classical Music Background 19:03 The Truth About El Niño & Beautiful 20:21 Liberation: 20 Minutes to Record a Classic 22:08 How Marcella Became a Recording Artist 25:03 Family, Touring & Music as an Escape 27:30 Classical Training Meets Dance Music 29:34 What DJing Has Taught Marcella