Joy Maureen Denalane (born 1973 in Berlin) is a German singer and songwriter, known for her mixture of Soul, R&B and African Folk music with lyrics in German and English language. She married singer and producer Max Herre with whom she has two sons named Isaiah (born 2001) and Jamil (born 2003). They separated in October 2007.

Joy Denalane was the third child and oldest daughter born to both a German mother and a South African father in Berlin-Schöneberg in 1973. A little later on the family moved to Kreuzberg where Joy spent her childhood with her five siblings. At the age of 16 she left home and started focusing on music with first stage performances and the joining of the Reggae and Soul bands Culture Roots and Family Affair. At 19 she was signed to a major pop label but unfortunately both the singer and the manag