Music Metrics Vault

Deee-Lite

Data updated on 2025-04-20 10:45:04 UTC
With the massive popularity of their hit single "Groove Is in the Heart," Deee-Lite brought the colorful sights and sounds of New York's club culture into the mainstream. Formed in 1986, the trio was led by vocalist Lady Miss Kier (born Kieren Kirby in Youngstown, Ohio) and fleshed out by a pair of DJs, Super DJ Dmitry (a classically trained guitarist and Russian emigre born Dmitry Brill) and Jungle DJ Towa Towa (born Doug Wa-Chung in Tokyo, Japan).

Fusing house, techno, rap, ambient, and funk music with an outrageous visual flair largely influenced by the drag queen community (Kier's fondness for Fluevog platform shoes helped the '70s fashion revival gather steam), Deee-Lite became hugely popular among New York club denizens, and the trio's own unique cultural make-up earned them a following which ignored racial and sexual boundaries. In 1990, they debuted with the album World Clique, a crossover smash thanks to hits like the loping classic "Groove Is in the Heart" (featuring the fluid bass of Bootsy Collins and the saxophone of Maceo Parker) and "Power of Love."

With their 1992 follow-up, Infinity Within, Deee-Lite's music turned overtly political as songs touched base with hot topics like the environment, safe sex, and democracy. Towa Towa left the group soon after; rechristened Towa Tei, he released his solo debut, Future Listening, in 1995. Kier and Dmitry, meanwhile, enlisted DJ Ani for 1994's Dewdrops in the Garden, a sensual outing influenced by the growing rave culture. After the release of 1996's remix album Sampladelic Relics and Dancefloor Oddities, Deee-Lite disbanded. The group's members pursued separate careers as DJs; Dmitry relocated to Berlin, where he also worked as a producer, while Tei continued his solo career and also played in Metafive, a supergroup featuring Cornelius' Keigo Oyamada and members of Yellow Magic Orchestra and Denki Groove. In 2017, Cherry Red reissued World Clique in a deluxe set that featured a generous amount of remixes and an interview with Kier. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

Genres

: hip house

Total plays

278.4 million
Updated on 2025-04-20

Country

United States

Monthly listeners

1,960,571

Followers

178,801

Top Cities

  1. United Kingdom
    38,884 listeners
  2. Australia
    44,324 listeners
  3. Australia
    41,956 listeners
  4. Australia
    28,960 listeners
  5. Chile
    22,902 listeners

Most popular tracks

Track Plays Duration Release date
Groove Is in the Heart
Groove Is in the Heart
240,728,448 3:54 1990-01-01
What Is Love?
What Is Love?
4,544,259 3:40 1990-08-07
Deee-Lite Theme
Deee-Lite Theme
2,966,070 2:10 1990-08-07
Call Me
Call Me
2,794,060 3:51 1994-08-02
Good Beat
Good Beat
2,549,965 4:39 1990-08-07
Power of Love
Power of Love
1,951,812 4:42 1990-08-07
Groove Is in the Heart - Meeting the Minds Mix
Groove Is in the Heart - Meeting the Minds Mix
1,936,043 5:11 1990-01-01
Runaway
Runaway
1,643,886 3:54 1992-06-23
Groove Is In the Heart - Remix
Groove Is In the Heart - Remix
1,538,311 4:27 1996-01-01
Try Me On... I'm Very You
Try Me On... I'm Very You
1,137,705 5:19 1990-08-07
Apple Juice Kissing
Apple Juice Kissing
962,522 3:14 1994-08-02
Pussycat Meow
Pussycat Meow
752,531 3:49 1992-06-23
Say Ahhh...
Say Ahhh...
699,674 4:11 1994-08-02
Picnic in the Summertime
Picnic in the Summertime
652,804 3:33 1994-08-02
E.S.P.
E.S.P.
597,774 3:45 1990-08-07
Who Was That?
Who Was That?
596,214 4:37 1990-08-07
Music Selector Is the Soul Reflector
Music Selector Is the Soul Reflector
592,559 4:29 1994-08-02
You Sexy Thing
You Sexy Thing
543,108 4:07 1994-11-22
Bittersweet Loving
Bittersweet Loving
539,142 3:43 1994-08-02
How Do You Say...Love - Remix
How Do You Say...Love - Remix
510,200 3:18 1996-01-01
World Clique
World Clique
495,970 3:23 1990-08-07
Stay in Bed, Forget the Rest
Stay in Bed, Forget the Rest
449,165 3:09 1994-08-02
Groove Is in the Heart - Extended Version
Groove Is in the Heart - Extended Version
443,583 4:59 1990-01-01
Mind Melt
Mind Melt
408,770 0:34 1994-08-02
Smile On
Smile On
405,512 3:58 1990-08-07
River of Freedom
River of Freedom
358,817 4:06 1994-08-02
Deep Ending
Deep Ending
350,366 3:49 1990-08-07
I Had a Dream I Was Falling Through a Hole in the Ozone Layer
I Had a Dream I Was Falling Through a Hole in the Ozone Layer
321,732 5:38 1992-06-23
Electric Shock
Electric Shock
314,345 4:49 1992-06-23
Bring Me Your Love
Bring Me Your Love
303,802 3:38 1994-08-02
Build the Bridge
Build the Bridge
303,126 4:32 1990-08-07
Heart Be Still
Heart Be Still
296,908 4:11 1992-06-23
Groove Is in the Heart - Peanut Butter Mix
Groove Is in the Heart - Peanut Butter Mix
295,256 3:30 1990-01-01
Thank You Everyday
Thank You Everyday
290,405 6:22 1992-06-23
Groove Is in the Heart - Bootsified to the Nth Degree
Groove Is in the Heart - Bootsified to the Nth Degree
273,798 5:05 1990-01-01
I Won't Give Up
I Won't Give Up
256,446 4:25 1992-06-23
Vote, Baby Vote
Vote, Baby Vote
251,517 0:33 1992-06-23
Somebody
Somebody
241,709 3:30 1994-08-02
Rubber Lover
Rubber Lover
227,671 3:59 1992-06-23
When You Told Me You Loved Me
When You Told Me You Loved Me
227,523 2:59 1994-08-02
Party Happening People
Party Happening People
225,454 3:59 1994-08-02
Love Is Everything
Love Is Everything
215,958 5:27 1992-06-23
DMT (Dance Music Trance)
DMT (Dance Music Trance)
192,807 4:27 1994-08-02
I.F.O. (Identified Flying Object)
I.F.O. (Identified Flying Object)
166,811 2:55 1992-06-23
D.M.T. - Remix
D.M.T. - Remix
165,948 5:55 1996-01-01
Sampladelic
Sampladelic
158,188 0:47 1994-08-02
Two Clouds Above Nine
Two Clouds Above Nine
148,234 5:09 1992-06-23
Call Me - Remix
Call Me - Remix
147,944 6:27 1996-01-01
Goodbeatapella - Remix
Goodbeatapella - Remix
140,441 0:56 1996-01-01
Frenchapella - Remix
Frenchapella - Remix
124,169 0:36 1996-01-01
Music Selector Is the Soul Reflector - Remix
Music Selector Is the Soul Reflector - Remix
122,417 5:28 1996-01-01
What Is This Music?
What Is This Music?
114,054 17:49 1994-08-02
Bittersweet Loving
Bittersweet Loving
101,730 3:43 2001-01-01
Riding On Through
Riding On Through
100,320 4:30 2020-04-17
Come on In, the Dreams Are Fine
Come on In, the Dreams Are Fine
98,272 5:10 1992-06-23
Power of Love - Remix
Power of Love - Remix
97,052 4:21 1996-01-01
Fuddy Duddy Judge
Fuddy Duddy Judge
90,517 4:37 1992-06-23
Runaway - Remix
Runaway - Remix
85,943 5:18 1996-01-01
I Had a Dream I Was Falling Through a Hole In the Ozone Layer - Remix
I Had a Dream I Was Falling Through a Hole In the Ozone Layer - Remix
82,345 4:49 1996-01-01
Good Beat - Remix
Good Beat - Remix
78,000 4:04 1996-01-01
Power of Love - Sampladelic Remix
Power of Love - Sampladelic Remix
74,405 6:21 2020-02-28
Pussycat Meow - Remix
Pussycat Meow - Remix
74,250 4:36 1996-01-01
Bittersweet Loving - Remix
Bittersweet Loving - Remix
73,559 3:54 1996-01-01
Good Beat - Turn up the Radio Mix
Good Beat - Turn up the Radio Mix
72,418 4:27 2020-03-20
I Wont Give up - Remix
I Wont Give up - Remix
69,369 4:49 1996-01-01
Power Of Love - Loves Last Episode's Beach Dub
Power Of Love - Loves Last Episode's Beach Dub
63,849 5:10 2018-10-12
What Is Love? - Rainbow Beard Mix
What Is Love? - Rainbow Beard Mix
63,507 4:06 2020-04-03
Heart Be Still - Remix
Heart Be Still - Remix
62,382 4:47 1996-01-01
Groove Is in the Heart - Instrumental
Groove Is in the Heart - Instrumental
56,529 3:46 1990-01-01
Groove Is in the Heart - Jelly Jam Beats
Groove Is in the Heart - Jelly Jam Beats
55,125 2:13 1990-01-01
Good Beat - Extend the Beat Mix
Good Beat - Extend the Beat Mix
52,283 6:52 2020-03-20
Power of Love - Turn up the Radio Mix
Power of Love - Turn up the Radio Mix
46,505 4:02 2020-02-28
Groove Is in the Heart - A cappella
Groove Is in the Heart - A cappella
32,607 3:38 1990-01-01
Runaway - Sampladelic Radio Edit
Runaway - Sampladelic Radio Edit
27,464 3:55 2021-08-20
Good Beat - Shake Your Body to the Beat Mix
Good Beat - Shake Your Body to the Beat Mix
26,746 5:28 2020-03-20
Power of Love - Zanizibar Vocal Mix
Power of Love - Zanizibar Vocal Mix
25,532 5:16 2020-02-28
How Do You Say...Love (A Delicious Pal Joey Dub) - Remix
How Do You Say...Love (A Delicious Pal Joey Dub) - Remix
19,173 7:09 2020-03-20
Runaway (Masters at Work Dubb) - Remix
Runaway (Masters at Work Dubb) - Remix
19,064 6:39 2021-08-20
Build the Bridge - Holographic House Groove Mix
Build the Bridge - Holographic House Groove Mix
18,029 6:59 2020-04-17
E.S.P. - Ouijee Extended Mix
E.S.P. - Ouijee Extended Mix
15,632 5:07 2020-03-27
Runaway (Runapella Beat) - Remix
Runaway (Runapella Beat) - Remix
12,007 4:49 2021-08-20
Rubber Lover - Skin Tight Mix
Rubber Lover - Skin Tight Mix
11,646 4:32 2021-08-20
Runaway - Greyhound Extended Mix
Runaway - Greyhound Extended Mix
10,797 5:43 2021-08-20
BroknHearts Be Still
BroknHearts Be Still
10,048 7:26 2023-05-13
Rubber Lover - Safesex Instrumental
Rubber Lover - Safesex Instrumental
9,726 4:32 2021-08-20
Runaway (A Deee-Liteful Dub) - Remix
Runaway (A Deee-Liteful Dub) - Remix
6,256 6:40 2021-08-20
Won't You Listen to What the DJ's Spinning! - Remix
Won't You Listen to What the DJ's Spinning! - Remix
< 1000 0:15 1996-01-01
Loveapella - Remix
Loveapella - Remix
< 1000 0:29 1996-01-01
Groove Is in the Heart - Mixed
Groove Is in the Heart - Mixed
< 1000 3:35 2019-12-31

New releases

Runaway
Runaway
2021-08-20
[Warner Music Group - X5 Music Group]
Groove Is In the Heart
Groove Is In the Heart
2020-04-17
[Warner Music Group - X5 Music Group]
What Is Love?
What Is Love?
2020-04-03
[Warner Music Group - X5 Music Group]
Good Beat
Good Beat
2020-03-20
[Warner Music Group - X5 Music Group]
Power of Love
Power of Love
2020-02-28
[Warner Music Group - X5 Music Group]
The Elektra Years
The Elektra Years
2020-01-03
[Warner Music Group - X5 Music Group]
The Very Best of Deee-Lite
The Very Best of Deee-Lite
2001-01-01
[Elektra Records]
Sampladelic Relics & Dancefloor Oddities
Sampladelic Relics & Dancefloor Oddities
1996-01-01
[Rhino/Elektra]
Dewdrops in the Garden
Dewdrops in the Garden
1994-08-02
[Rhino/Elektra]
Infinity Within
Infinity Within
1992-06-23
[Elektra Records]
World Clique
World Clique
1990-08-07
[Elektra Records]
Groove Is in the Heart
Groove Is in the Heart
1990-01-01
[Rhino/Elektra]