Unfinished sympathy: How tabloids silenced Massive Attack singer Shara Nelson

As the singer and co-writer of Massive Attack’s groundbreaking 1991 hit Unfinished Sympathy, Shara Nelson had unique talent and the world ahead of her.

But she would be silenced by malicious tabloid coverage of a very personal dispute with superstar DJ Pete Tong. How did this happen?

The soaring vocals of Londoner Shara Nelson first appeared on jazzy dance track Aiming At Your Heart in 1983, which she recorded with The Circuit aged 18.

Shara released three further solo singles during the 80s (Can’t Get Over You, Standing Invitation and Love’s Hit You) and joined Bristol DJ collective The Wild Bunch for their influential cover of The Look of Love. As the Wild Bunch morphed into Massive Attack, Shara joined them for the ride.

She sang and co-wrote four tracks on Massive Attack’s pioneering debut album Blue Lines, its grimy trip hop beats perfectly complemented by Shara’s sublime melodies and heartfelt lyrics.

Her contribution to Unfinished Sympathy came as they took a tea break at Bristol’s Coach House Studio. Shara told Uncut:

“I didn’t drink tea at the time, so I just stood in the corner and started trying to put together this idea that had been going around my head for a while. I started mumbling to myself, half singing the lines: ‘I know that I’ve imagined love before.’ The melody and the words started to come into shape.”

Unfinished Sympathy is widely recognised as a defining song of the 90s, complete with its Baillie Walsh-directed video that sees Shara striding through LA’s West Pico Boulevard in purposeful slow mo.

Follow up hit Safe From Harm was also co-written and sung by Shara, along with the deeply hypnotic Daydreaming and Lately.

Massive Attack companion Tricky said Shara’s interpretation of a song would elevate and transform it. He told Under the…