Crystal Waters

Crystal Waters (born November 19, 1961) is an American house and dance music singer and songwriter, best known for her 1990s dance hits "Gypsy Woman" and "100% Pure Love", and 2007's "Destination Calabria" with Alex Gaudino. All three of her studio albums produced a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. In December 2016, Billboard magazine ranked her as one of the most successful dance artists of all time. Her accolades include six ASCAP Songwriter awards, three American Music Award nominations, an MTV Video Music Award nod, four Billboard Music Awards and twelve No. 1 Billboard Dance Chart hits. Her hit song "Gypsy Woman” has been sampled hundreds of times. Though her music sales have yet to be re-certified, Waters has sold over seven million records worldwide.

Early life Born in Deptford Township, New Jersey, Waters is the daughter of jazz musician Junior Waters and his wife Betty. Her great-aunt, Ethel Waters, Her family moved to New Jersey for a while but they again moved to Washington, D.C. At age eleven she began writing poetry and took her writing seriously enough to be inducted into the Poetry Society of America when she was 14,

With her 1994 follow-up album, Storyteller, Feminist scholar and social activist bell hooks described Waters as "fierce and politically on the job" because of the singer's socially conscious lyrics.

In 1996, Waters participated in the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Rio, which was produced by the Red Hot Organization, performing the song "The Boy from Ipanema".

In 2007, the mega European hit "Destination Calabria" by Alex Gaudino, featuring vocals by Crystal Waters, went to No. 1 on the European Pop Chart in over 30 countries. The track is a mashup, taking the instrumental from Rune's "Calabria" and the vocals from Alex Gaudino's and Crystal Waters' "Destination Unknown", both originally released in 2003. It was produced with the help of Maurizio Nari and Ronnie Milani (Nari & Milani), matching the saxophone hook/riff from "Calabria" to Crystal Waters' voice. "Destination Calabria" was released as a 12-inch single by the Italian label Rise Records, and as a CD single on March 19, 2007 by British label Data Records. It originally charted in Australia in February 2004, peaking at No. 98 under the title "Destination Unknown" before being re-released as "Destination Calabria" and reaching No. 2 in 2007.

In 2012, "Le Bump" with Yolanda Be Cool gave Waters another No. 1 on the Beatport House Chart.

With DJ Chris Cox in 2013, the No. 1 Billboard Dance Club Songs hit "Mama Hey",

1991

Released: June 25, 1991 Label: Mercury 197 171 23 45 81 24 1994

Released: May 17, 1994 Label: Mercury 199 55 — — — — RIAA: Gold 1997

Released: June 24, 1997 Label: Mercury/Polygram — — — — — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Compilation albums YearAlbum details1998 The Best of Crystal Waters Released: August 11, 1998 Label: Universal/Polygram2001 Gypsy Woman – The Collection Released: 2001 Label: Spectrum Music2001 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Crystal Waters Released: 2001 Label: Mercury Records

Singles BPI: Platinum 2018"I Am House"(with Sted-E and Hybrid Heights) — — — — — — — — — —"Merry Christmas All"(Hybrid Heights, Sted-E, John J-C Carr, Stacy Kidd) — — — — — — — — — — 2019"United in Dance"(with R-NALDO) — — — — — — — — — — 2020"Party People"(with DJ Spen and DJ Micfreak) — — — — — — — — — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Awards and nominations Year Nominated work Award Category Result 1991 "Gypsy Woman" American Music Awards Favorite Single – Dance Herself Favorite Artist – Dance Favorite New Artist – Dance 1992 "Makin' Happy"Billboard Music Video Awards Best Dance Video – Female 1994Herself Billboard Music Awards Top Hot Dance Music Club Play Artist Top Hot Dance Music Maxi-Singles Sales Artist "100% Pure Love" Top-Selling Hot Dance Music Club Play Single Top Hot Dance Music Maxi-Single Sales MTV Video Music Awards Best Dance Video Storyteller Vibe's Music Poll Best Album – Club/Dance 1996 "100% Pure Love"ASCAP Pop Music Awards Most Performed Song 2004 "My Time" (with Dutch) International Dance Music Awards Best House/Garage Dance Track 2025 HerselfElectronic Dance Music Awards Female Icon Award 2026 I Am House RadioElectronic Dance Music Awards Best Radio Show The listed years are of the annual ceremonies, usually held the following year.