Apr 11 2009
Queens of British Pop and Leona Lewis tops the bill
With an impressive list of female stars, it would not be hard to make the case that British girl singers are equal to their sometimes more famous male counterparts. As the two-part series revealed, some Queens of British Pop were talented but also troubled.
Starting with the troubled, Dusty Springfield was an icon and chart-topper with enormous talent and crippling insecurity, not least because of her sexuality. In contrast, Marianne Faithfull had no problem with her sexuality, but was one of the first stars to be crucified by the media.
Happily, there are fantastic good news stories to provide some balance. Sandie Shaw brought freshness and carefree fashion to the uptight British tv system, while Suzi Quatro (photo 1) and Siouxsie Sioux provided rock-chick power and punk antagonism in equal measure.
At the top of the charts, in many respects, are adopted-Brit Kylie and “new comer” Leona. For personal power and ability to stay “6 months ahead of the rest of the world” it is hard to beat Kylie Minogue. From ultra-teen pop to progressive-trance and even moody-indie, Kylie rocks the charts and concert halls all around the world.
For sheer vocal talent, however, none come close to Leona Lewis (photo 2) and her record-breaking rise to stardom. That rise may have received a huge boost from X Factor, yet even Simon Cowell has said that Leona would have been signed to work with some of the world’s greatest producers and songwriters - whether she won X Factor or not. That trust has paid off with wonderful results for the listening public.
As Today.com has asked us to keep posts short, and not use many photos, you can see the full report at Cheerleaders In High Heels with additional comments on Alison Moyet, Geri Halliwell, Amy Winehouse, Kate Bush and Annie Lennox.
If they wanted British female artist who achieved milestones for women in music and were internationally successful then they should have included Lynsey de Paul, Britain’s first successful singer/songwriter who was both an influence on Kate Bush and the writer of hits for many male artists as well as herself. Lynsey also took on dreaded manager Don Arden (who scared the life out of many men in the music business) and topped most music polls in the early 70s.