| Claire Richards | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Claire Richards |
| Born | August 17, 1977 |
| Origin | Hillingdon, England |
| Genre(s) | Pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1997–2001,2008– |
| Associated acts | Steps |
| Website | ClaireRichards.co.uk |
Claire Richards (born Claire Anne Richards, 17 August 1977, Hillingdon, Middlesex) is an English singer best known for her membership in the pop quintet, Steps. Events 986 - A Byzantine army was destroyed in the pass of Trajan's Gate by the Bulgarians under the Comitopuli Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Hillingdon is a place in the London Borough of Hillingdon. It is a suburban development situated 14 England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Popular music is Music belonging to any of a number of musical styles that are accessible to the general public and are disseminated by one or more Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Steps was a pop group that achieved a series of charted singles between 1997 and 2001 Events 986 - A Byzantine army was destroyed in the pass of Trajan's Gate by the Bulgarians under the Comitopuli Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Hillingdon is a place in the London Borough of Hillingdon. It is a suburban development situated 14 Middlesex is one of the 39 historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Popular music is Music belonging to any of a number of musical styles that are accessible to the general public and are disseminated by one or more A quintet is a group containing five membersIt is commonly associated with musical groups such as a String quintet, or a group of five singers but can be applied to any Steps was a pop group that achieved a series of charted singles between 1997 and 2001
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Early career
Richards began her career as one third of pop trio 'TSD' with Cossie and Bonnie. Trio is generally used in any of the following ways Three Musicians playing the same or different Musical instrument. They had little success and were dropped by their record label after the release of their second single "Baby I Love You". In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Richards went on to work as a receptionist for seven months, winning the temp of the month award for May 1997. A receptionist is a person in an Office /administrative support position
Quitting Steps
After she and her fellow group mate Ian "H" Watkins resigned, during the last leg of their final tour, the two continued singing as a duo without the other three members of Steps, as H & Claire. Ian Watkins (born 8 May 1976, Llwynypia, Rhondda, Wales) better known as H from Steps is a Welsh A duet is a Musical composition or piece for two Performers In Classical music the term is most often used for a composition for two singers H & Claire were a pop duo consisting of former Steps members Claire Richards and Ian "H" Watkins. The pair experienced success with their debut single "DJ", which reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart, and their next two singles, which both charted within the Top 10. " DJ " was the debut single from former Steps members H & Claire. The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company (OCC on behalf of the British record industry The Top Forty or Top 40 is a music industry shorthand for the currently most-popular songs in a particular genre. While the duo had initial success their album Another You, Another Me, which was released in 2002, charted badly.
Taking a break from singing to plan her wedding to Steps dancer, Mark Webb. Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with Speech. A wedding is the Ceremony in which two people are united in Marriage. H & Claire disbanded, and ceased recording together in 2003. Richards married Webb on August 2, 2003, they later split in 2005. Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar.
Controversy
In 2000, both Richards and band-mate Lee Latchford-Evans were criticized by the Anti Fascist Action organisation for making allegedly xenophobic remarks against asylum seekers. Lee Latchford-Evans (born 28 January 1975) is an English Pop singer Anti-Fascist Action ( AFA) was a militant anti-fascist organisation founded by Red Action and other left-wing Xenophobia is an intense and/or irrational dislike and sometimes fear of people from other countries According to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race [1] Latchford-Evans stated that "there should be more jobs for English people" with Richards continuing, "Why are we paying for all these people to come into the country anyway?". All accusations were vehemently denied by both Latchford-Evans and Richards.
Recent news
More recently, Richards has left a message on a website dedicated to her, stating that she is planning a return to a singing career in the near future. [2]
In December 2006, she announced that she would be expecting her first child in the spring of 2007. CHILD syndrome (or congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform erythroderma and limb defects) is a genetic disorder Spring is one of the four Temperate Seasons Spring marks the transition from Winter into Summer. On 8 May 2007, she gave birth to a baby boy, named Charlie. Events 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
In January 2008, she and Reece Hill announced their engagement. They plan to marry in September 2008 in Surrey, with son Charlie as pageboy.
Albums
| Year | Title | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | ||||
| 1998 | Step One | 2 | ||
| 1999 | Steptacular | 1 | ||
| 2000 | Buzz | 4 | ||
| 2001 | Gold - The Greatest Hits | 1 | ||
| 2002 | The Last Dance | 57 | ||
| 2002 | Another You Another Me | 53 | ||
Singles
| Year | Single | UK | AUS | NED | BEL | NZL | GER | PHI | LEB | IRE | SWE | SPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | "5,6,7,8" | 14 | 1 | 22 | 2 | 7 | — | 1 | — | — | 17 | — |
| 1998 | "Last Thing on My Mind" | 6 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 24 | — | 7 | 12 | 11 | 59 | — |
| "One for Sorrow" | 2 | 34 | 24 | 1 | 13 | — | 1 | 3 | 4 | 34 | — | |
| "Heartbeat / Tragedy" | 1 | 10 | 22 | 8 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 20 | |
| 1999 | "Better Best Forgotten" | 2 | — | 79 | 20 | — | — | — | 14 | 8 | — | — |
| "Thank ABBA for the Music" with Cleopatra, Tina Cousins, Billie Piper, B*Witched |
4 | 9 | 14 | — | 6 | 97 | — | 5 | — | 8 | — | |
| "Love's Got a Hold on My Heart" | 2 | 29 | 57 | 14 | 18 | — | — | — | 9 | — | — | |
| "After the Love Has Gone" | 5 | 47 | 63 | 13 | — | — | — | 20 | 18 | — | — | |
| "Say You'll Be Mine" / "Better the Devil You Know" | 4 | 21 | 47 | 42 | — | 98 | 10 | — | 13 | — | — | |
| 2000 | "Deeper Shade of Blue" | 4 | — | — | 36 | — | — | 5 | 2 | 24 | — | — |
| "When I Said Goodbye / Summer Of Love" | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 18 | — | 32 | |
| "Stomp" | 1 | 66 | — | 25 | — | — | — | — | 17 | — | 8 | |
| 2001 | "It's the Way You Make Me Feel" | 2 | — | — | 32 | — | — | 3 | 17 | 8 | — | — |
| "Here And Now / You'll Be Sorry" | 4 | 71 | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | 23 | — | — | |
| "Chain Reaction" | 2 | 41 | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | 8 | — | — | |
| "Words Are Not Enough / I Know Him So Well" | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 21 | — | — | |
| 2002 | "DJ" | 3 | — | — | - | — | — | - | - | - | — | — |
| "Half A Heart" | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | - | — | — | |
| "All Out of Love " | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | - | — | — |
References
- ^ BBC News | ENTERTAINMENT | Steps upset by 'racist' claims
- ^ ClaireRichards.co.uk - The Definitive Claire Richards Website!