Originally from Jamaica, Errol Reid came to England with his parents and grew up in Birmingham, where the reggae pop group UB40 originated. Influenced by the soul singers of the 1980s, the young singer started performing with a sound system and moved to London. There, in 1990, he met Chinese guitarist, keyboardist and producer Simon Fung, originally from Hong Kong. The two formed the duo China Black, in reference to their origins, and in 1992 recorded a first version of the track "Searching", produced by Longsy D, whose influence was limited to the independent circuit. Redistributed by Polydor following the bankruptcy of the Big One label, the track, a blend of reggae, pop and R&B, became a hit, reaching #4 in the UK and #17 in France. It remained China Black's biggest hit, and she continued the adventure with "Stars " (#19 in 1994), "Almost See You (Somewhere)" (#31 in 1995) and a cover of the standard "Swing Low Sweet Chariot " (#15), with the South African vocal ensemble Ladysmith Black Mambazo, re-recorded two years later with the England rugby team. A one-off album, Born, released in 1995, a Brit Award nomination and an appearance at the Aid Trust Concert at Wembley Stadium were further hallmarks of China Black's short-lived fame, which saw them reform sporadically in 2005. Errol Reid then resumed his solo career, establishing himself as an independent producer.