Deep Obsession is a celebrated Eurodance group from New Zealand, notable for being the first act in New Zealand Official Top 40 chart history to have their first three singles reach the number one position.
Formed in 1996 at the More FM studios, the group consists of producer Michael Lloyd, producer/songwriter Christopher Banks (also known as C Rainbow), and producer/songwriter/singer Zara Clark. Zara Clark serves as the lead vocalist for Deep Obsession and was nominated for "Best Female Vocalist" at the 2000 Vodafone Music Awards.
In early 1998, Vanessa Kelly joined the group. Deep Obsession made history as the first unsigned New Zealand group to receive significant commercial radio play when a demo of their debut single “Lost In Love,” a cover of the Air Supply song, garnered attention. The demo was recorded at the Auckland More FM studio, where the station became the first to air their music; it was later picked up by the competing nationwide ZM network.
Following the demo's success, Deep Obsession became the first New Zealand group to sign with Universal Music NZ in mid-1998. The remixed version of “Lost In Love,” produced by Malcolm Wellsford, was released in late 1998 and ascended to number one on the New Zealand singles chart.
The group’s subsequent singles, “Cold” and “One & Only,” both produced by Steve Peach and Adam Goodyear, also achieved number one status on the Official Recorded Music Charts NZ. In 1999, the second single "Cold," co-written by Zara Clark and Chris Rainbow, quickly climbed the charts, mirroring the success of their debut. After the second single reached number one, Banks departed from the group, and the album 'Infinity' was completed in Australia by Peach and Goodyear. Clark and Rainbow were nominated for Best Songwriter at the 2000 Vodafone Music Awards for "Cold."
The full-length album, “Infinity,” was finalized in Australia, with a promotional focus on Zara and Vanessa’s clubber image, a relatively unique strategy in New Zealand music marketing at the time. Released in 1999, “Infinity” peaked at number eight on the New Zealand charts and achieved platinum status in sales.
The third single, "One and Only," was subsequently released and also reached the number one spot on the Official Recorded Music Charts NZ, making Deep Obsession a significant figure in New Zealand music history with three consecutive number one singles.
Following the success of "Infinity," the album was sent to the UK for remixes, including one by Brian Rawling, known for work on Cher's 'Believe' album. Steve Lewinson from Simply Red played bass on the track "I Surrender," which was remixed for both UK and US markets. Both versions entered the top 50, with the US mix peaking at number 34.
After Vanessa Kelly left to pursue a solo career, Zara Clark continued with Deep Obsession, who still had a publishing contract with Universal Australia that required a second album. To fulfill their obligations, the group brought in Sharleen Lawson, known as Charlie.
Without major label support, Deep Obsession recorded a new song called "Miracles," which was leaked to the ZM network and received airplay. More FM also supported the track, leading it to become the highest-charting song that reached number 34, despite never being available for sale. This success demonstrated the group’s continued relevance in the New Zealand music scene.
The music video for "Miracles" was nominated for a NZ Music Video Award in 2003 and can be viewed on YouTube. Another track, “I Am,” featured co-production from original producer Michael Lloyd alongside Adam Fox in London. A Latin remix by producer Stuart Pearce was also created for this song, which has not been available for sale but is accessible on YouTube.
In 2015, Deep Obsession was recognized by the Official NZ Music Charts for their achievement of three consecutive number one singles from their debut album 'Infinity.'
