In the world of dance music, few voices have ever matched the fire and soul of Loleatta Holloway. With her gospel-rooted power and raw, passionate delivery, she wasn’t just a singer—she was a force of nature. But in the late 1980s, that powerful voice—her literal voice—was taken, remixed, and made famous without her permission. This is the story behind Holloway’s shocking words: “They stole my voice too.”
It all began with her 1980 disco anthem “Love Sensation.” Produced by Dan Hartman, the song was—and still is—a masterclass in vocal intensity. Holloway poured everything into that performance, and while it was a club hit, it didn’t fully break into the mainstream. Years later, though, her voice would unexpectedly resurface.
In 1989, an Italian dance group called Black Box released a song called “Ride on Time.” It was a pounding house anthem that immediately topped charts across Europe. But there was a catch: the voice that made the song unforgettable wasn’t theirs—it was Loleatta Holloway’s sampled directly from “Love Sensation.” Not credited. Not paid. And not even asked.
To make matters worse, Black Box presented a model named Katrin Quinol as the “singer” in performances and videos, lip-syncing to Loleatta’s vocals. It was a slap in the face—a literal erasure of the woman behind the sound. When Holloway found out, she was furious, famously stating, “They stole my voice!” And she wasn’t wrong.
The incident sparked a major controversy in the music world about sampling, credit, and respect—especially for Black female artists whose contributions were too often exploited without acknowledgment. Holloway took legal action and eventually reached a settlement, but the damage was done. “Ride on Time” made millions off her voice—while she had to fight just to be recognized as the voice that powered it.
Loleatta’s experience became a cautionary tale and a rallying cry. Her story helped bring attention to the unethical use of samples, and her outcry forced the industry to start taking artists’ rights more seriously. Others, like Martha Wash (of “Everybody Everybody” and “Gonna Make You Sweat” fame), would also come forward with similar stories.
Despite the injustice, Loleatta Holloway’s legacy only grew stronger. Her voice continues to live on—not just in samples and remixes, but in the hearts of fans who know where that sound came from and the soul behind it.
So when you hear those iconic words—“You got to have the love sensation!”—remember: it’s not just a hook. It’s the cry of a woman who gave everything to her art, and who fought to make sure her voice could never again be stolen without the world knowing who it truly belonged to.