Afrodiziak
| Company type | Vocal trio |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Caron Wheeler, Claudia Fontaine |
| Defunct | 1988 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Backing vocals for various artists and live performances |
Afrodiziak was a British vocal trio prominent during the 1980s, originally formed by Caron Wheeler and Claudia Fontaine, with Naomi Thompson joining later. Starting as a duo, Wheeler and Fontaine provided backing vocals for the final single of the Jam, titled "Beat Surrender" (1982), and also participated in their tour. Their vocal contributions extended to Elvis Costello's 1983 album Punch the Clock, including the well-known track "Everyday I Write the Book".
After Naomi Thompson became part of the group, Afrodiziak supported the single "Free Nelson Mandela", delivering its a cappella introduction during a 1984 appearance on Channel 4's The Tube. They played a significant role on Heaven 17's 1984 album How Men Are, especially on the singles "Sunset Now" and "And That's No Lie". The trio also contributed to Madness' albums Keep Moving and Mad Not Mad, and appeared in the music video for "Sweetest Girl".
In 1985, Afrodiziak provided backing vocals for Howard Jones' album Dream into Action, featuring on popular tracks such as "Things Can Only Get Better" and "Life in One Day", and subsequently toured with him. Their collaborations extended to artists like Ian Gillan, Aztec Camera, Maxi Priest, Aswad, Sam Brown, and Julia Fordham. The group made appearances on television programs including Top of the Pops, The Old Grey Whistle Test, Solid Gold, and American Bandstand. Live performances included major events such as the Montreux Jazz Festival, Live Aid Japan, Red Nose Day, and the inaugural Free Nelson Mandela Concert.
Following her time with Afrodiziak, Caron Wheeler rose to fame as the lead singer of dance-R&B ensemble Soul II Soul, leading their most successful singles "Keep on Movin'" and "Back to Life", with Fontaine providing backing vocals on the latter track. Wheeler also embarked on a solo career.
Claudia Fontaine maintained her career as a backing vocalist for artists such as EMF, Neneh Cherry, and Hothouse Flowers, while also serving as a featured singer with British house group the Beatmasters. She lent her voice to their dance tracks "Warm Love" from Anywayawanna and "Deeper into Harmony" from Life and Soul. Fontaine passed away on 13 March 2018.