The former lead singer of Soul II Soul, Melissa Bell, has died at the age of 53.
Bell was best known for her stint in the Grammy award-winning band, which she joined in 1993. Among her recordings with the band were the singles ‘Wish’ (1993) and 1995’s ‘Be A Man’, but Bell left Soul II Soul in 1995 to pursue a solo career. Bell later had a spell as the lead singer of the band Soul Explosion.
Bell’s daughter Alexandra Burke announced the news of her mother’s passing on social media earlier today (August 29).
The former X Factor winner paid tribute to her late mother, praising her “unconditional love, support, charisma, strength and courage throughout her life.” See Burke’s post below.
— Alexandra Burke (@alexandramusic) August 29, 2017
💔xx pic.twitter.com/blNDNKIm5b
— Alexandra Burke (@alexandramusic) August 29, 2017
Bell had struggled with health problems for a number of years, and suffered from kidney failure in 2008 while Burke was competing in The X Factor.
Back in 2015, Bell and Burke gave a joint interview to The Guardian where they explained the support they had for one another’s music careers.
“My career as a singer has given her the ambition to do better than I did, and if she has a child I’m pretty sure it will go even further,” Bell said of her daughter’s successful career.
