Annie Lennox,
OBEThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 25 December 1954), born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with
The TouristsThe Tourists were a British rock and pop band, but are better known for two of their members who went on to achieve great success as Eurythmics...
, with fellow musician
David A. StewartDavid Allan Stewart , often known as Dave Stewart, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Eurythmics. He is usually credited as David A. Stewart, to avoid confusion with other musicians named "Dave Stewart".-Early life:Stewart was born in Sunderland,...
she achieved major international success in the following decade as one half of
EurythmicsEurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...
.
Lennox embarked on a solo career in the 1990s with her debut album Diva (1992), which produced several hit singles including "
Why"Why" is the first solo single by the Scottish singer Annie Lennox, released in 1992. It was taken from her debut solo album Diva and reached no.5 in the United Kingdom and number thirty-four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The single also reached no.6 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart...
" and "
Walking on Broken Glass"Walking on Broken Glass" is a song written and performed by Scottish singer Annie Lennox, taken from her 1992 album, Diva. This song reached #1 in Canada, #8 in the UK and Ireland and #14 in the US singles charts.- CD single :...
". She has released five solo studio albums and a compilation album,
The Annie Lennox Collection- Limited edition :A limited edition of the album was released only in the UK on the same day containing a second CD with rare songs and a bonus DVD featuring a selection of Lennox's music videos plus a few live performances.Disc 2Disc 3 – Bonus DVD...
(2009). She is the recipient of eight
Brit AwardsThe Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
, three Grammy Awards and an MTV Video Music Award. In 2002, Lennox received a Billboard Century Award; the highest accolade from
Billboard MagazineBillboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
. In 2004, she won both the
Golden GlobeGolden Globe Award for Best Original Song was awarded for the first time in 1962 and has been awarded annually since 1965 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.-1960s:...
and the
Academy Award for Best Original SongThe Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...
for "
Into the West"Into the West" is an Oscar winning song, written by Fran Walsh, Howard Shore, and Annie Lennox, and performed by Lennox. The song plays during the closing credits of the film, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King...
", written for the soundtrack to the feature film
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson that is based on the second and third volumes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings...
.
In addition to her career as a musician, Lennox is also a political and social activist, notable for raising money and awareness for HIV charities in Africa. She also objected to the unauthorized use of the 1999 Eurythmics song "
I Saved the World Today"I Saved the World Today" is a song recorded by the British pop music duo Eurythmics. It was written and co-produced by bandmembers Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and was included on their album Peace in 1999....
" in an election broadcast for Israeli Foreign Minister
Tzipi LivniTzipporah Malkah "Tzipi" Livni is an Israeli lawyer and politician. She is the current Israeli Opposition Leader and leader of Kadima, the largest party in the Knesset. Raised an ardent nationalist, Livni has become one of her nation's leading voices for the two-state solution. In Israel she has...
in 2009. In 2011, Lennox received an
OBEThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
from Queen Elizabeth II for her "tireless charity campaigns and championing of humanitarian causes".
Known as a
pop culture iconA pop icon is a celebrity, character, or object whose exposure in pop culture constitutes a defining characteristic of a given society or era. The categorization is usually associated with elements such as longevity, ubiquity, and distinction. Moreover, "pop icon" status is distinguishable from...
for her distinctive
contraltoContralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above...
vocals and visual performances, Lennox has been named "The Greatest White Soul Singer Alive" by
VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
and one of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
. She has earned the distinction of "most successful female British artist in UK music history" because of her global commercial success since the early 1980s. Including her work within Eurythmics, Lennox is one of the world's
best-selling music artists, having sold over 80 million records worldwide.
Early life
Lennox was born on Christmas Day, 1954, in
SummerfieldAberdeen Maternity Hospital or AMH is a specialist maternity hospital in Aberdeen, Scotland. The buildings date from the late 1940s but have been updated and modernised since. It is part of the Aberdeen Joint Hospitals Scheme, envisaged by Professor Matthew Hay in the early 20th century. Between...
Maternity hospital,
AberdeenAberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
. Her father worked at the
shipyardShipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
, and her mother was a cook until she became a housewife. Lennox was an only child and the family lived in a small two-bedroomed apartment in a block of flats with communal laundry facilities. Despite her family's financial status, Lennox had piano lessons at school from the age of seven years at the cost of £4.00 per term. She was interested in singing and, with plenty of time to herself, passed some of the time by singing along to the popular music of the time, including music by
The BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. She was an unhappy teenager, partly because of a struggle over boundaries for her independence with her overprotective father. She attended Aberdeen High School for Girls, now
Harlaw AcademyHarlaw Academy is a six year comprehensive secondary school situated some 200 yards from the junction of Union Street and Holburn Street in the centre of the city of Aberdeen, Scotland. It is directly adjacent to Aberdeen Grammar School...
. In 1964, her early talent was demonstrated when she came second in a talent contest at a
ButlinsButlins is a chain of large holiday camps in the United Kingdom. Butlins was founded by Billy Butlin to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families....
holiday camp. She sang the song "
Mairi's WeddingMairi's Wedding is a Scottish folk song originally written in Gaelic by Johnny Bannerman for Mary McNiven. Written using a traditional Scottish tune, it was first played for McNiven in 1935 at the Old Highlanders Institute in Glasgow's Elmbank Street. Hugh S...
".
In the 1970s, Lennox won a place at the
Royal Academy of MusicThe Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
in London, where she studied the
fluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
and
classical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
for three years. She lived on a student grant and worked at part-time jobs for extra money. Lennox was unhappy during her time at the Royal Academy partly because she was lonely and shy, and she missed many history-of-music lessons.
Lennox's flute teacher's final report stated: "Ann has not always been sure of where to direct her efforts, though lately she has been more committed. She is very, very able, however." Two years later, Lennox reported to the Academy: "I have had to work as a waitress, barmaid, and shop assistant to keep me when not in musical work." She also played and sang with a few bands, such as
WindsongWindsong were a British folk-rock band of the 1970s, best known as one of the groups in which Annie Lennox was involved before becoming famous with The Tourists and the Eurythmics....
, during the period of her course. In 2006, the academy made her an honorary Fellow. Lennox also was made a Fellow of the
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and DramaThe Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is a conservatoire of music, drama, and dance in the centre of Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Educational Association, it is the busiest performing arts venue in Scotland...
that year.
1977–90: The Tourists and Eurythmics
Between 1977 and 1980, Lennox was the lead singer of
The TouristsThe Tourists were a British rock and pop band, but are better known for two of their members who went on to achieve great success as Eurythmics...
(initially known as
The CatchThe Catch was a British band, formed in 1975 by Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart, and Peet Coombes.They released one single, 1977's "Borderline/Black Blood" on Logo Records. The single was released in the UK, Holland, Spain and Portugal...
), a moderately successful British pop band and her first collaboration with
Dave StewartDavid Allan Stewart , often known as Dave Stewart, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Eurythmics. He is usually credited as David A. Stewart, to avoid confusion with other musicians named "Dave Stewart".-Early life:Stewart was born in Sunderland,...
. During the time they were in The Tourists, Stewart and Lennox were involved in a relationship, though this had ended by the time they formed Eurythmics.
Lennox and Stewart's second collaboration, the 1980s
synthpopSynthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
duo
EurythmicsEurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...
, resulted in her most notable fame, as the duo's alto, soul-tinged lead singer. Early in Eurythmics' career, Lennox was known for her
androgynyAndrogyny is a term derived from the Greek words ανήρ, stem ανδρ- and γυνή , referring to the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics...
, wearing suits and once impersonating
Elvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. Eurythmics released a long line of
singlesIn music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in the 1980s, including "
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)-Personnel:*Annie Lennox – vocals, keyboards, synthesisers, flute*David A. Stewart – guitar, keyboards, synthesisers, programming, backing vocals-Additional personnel:*Robert Crash - Guitar/ E-Drums/ Synth/ Robotic vocals...
", "
Love Is A Stranger"Love Is a Stranger" is Eurythmics' fifth single, and like its predecessors, was initially a commercial flop, although it later became a worldwide hit when it re-entered the chart following their commercial breakthrough with "Sweet Dreams "....
", "
Here Comes the Rain Again"Here Comes the Rain Again" is a song by British pop duo Eurythmics. It was written by group members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and produced by Stewart. The song was released as the third single in the UK from the album Touch and in the United States as the first single. It became...
", "
Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves"Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" is a hit duet recorded between British pop duo Eurythmics and American soul/R&B musician Aretha Franklin, released as a single by RCA Records in October 1985...
", "
Who's That Girl?"Who's That Girl?" is a song recorded by British pop duo Eurythmics. It was written by Eurythmics members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and produced by Stewart...
", "Would I Lie to You?", "
There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)In 1997 recorded the Finnish parody rock band Leningrad Cowboys a cover for their 1997 album Mongolian Barbeque. In that cover the mouth organ was replaced by an electric guitar for the instrumentation and the intro was so taken with the electric guitar, unlike the original this version is very...
", "
Missionary Man"Missionary Man" is a song by the British pop music duo Eurythmics. It was taken from their sixth album, Revenge, and continued the band's rock/R&B musical style of the time and featured Jimmy Zavala on harmonica....
", "
You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart"You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart" is a song recorded by British pop duo Eurythmics. It was written by group members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart, and appears on the duo's album Savage...
", "
Thorn in My Side"Thorn in My Side" is a song recorded by British pop music duo Eurythmics. It was released as a single from the duo's Revenge album in the UK and the U.S. Written by band members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart, the song is a cast-off to an unfaithful lover...
", "
The Miracle of Love"The Miracle of Love" is a 1986 song recorded by British pop music duo Eurythmics. It was written by Eurythmics members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and produced by Stewart. The track was released as the third single from the duo's sixth album Revenge in the UK...
" and "
Don't Ask Me Why"Don't Ask Me Why" is a 1989 song recorded by the British pop music duo Eurythmics. It was written by bandmembers Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and produced by Stewart with Jimmy Iovine. The song was featured on Eurythmics' album We Too Are One....
". Though Eurythmics never officially disbanded, Lennox made a fairly clear break from Stewart in 1990. Thereafter, she began a long and equally-successful solo career.
Lennox and Stewart reconvened Eurythmics in the late 1990s with the album Peace, their first album of new material in ten years. A subsequent concert tour was completed, with profits going to
GreenpeaceGreenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
and
Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
.
Lennox has received eight
BRIT AwardsThe Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
, the most of any female artist. Four of the awards were given during her time with Eurythmics, and another was given to the duo for Outstanding Contribution to Music in 1999.
The 1988 single with
Al GreenAlbert Greene , better known as Al Green, is an American gospel and soul music singer. He reached the peak of his popularity in the 1970s, with hit singles such as "You Oughta Be With Me", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Love and Happiness", and "Let's Stay Together"...
, "
Put a Little Love in Your Heart"Put a Little Love in Your Heart" is a song originally performed in 1968 by Jackie DeShannon, who composed it with her brother, Randy Myers, and Jimmy Holiday. In the USA, it was DeShannon's highest-charting hit, reaching #4 on the Hot 100 and #2 on the Adult Contemporary charts...
" (a
cover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of
Jackie DeShannonJackie DeShannon is an American singer-songwriter with a string of hit song credits from the 1960s onwards. She was one of the first female singer-songwriters of the rock 'n' roll period.- Life and early career :...
's 1969 hit), was recorded for the soundtrack of the movie
ScroogedScrooged is a 1988 American comedy film, a modernization of Charles Dickens' novella, A Christmas Carol. The film was produced and directed by Richard Donner, and the cinematography was by Michael Chapman. The screenplay was written by Mitch Glazer and Michael O'Donoghue...
. Though it was produced by Dave Stewart, it was credited to Lennox and Green. This one-off single peaked at #2 on the US Adult Contemporary chart, #9 on the US
Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and was a top 40 hit in the UK. Lennox performed the song "
Ev'ry Time We Say GoodbyePublished by Chappell & Company, "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" is a song with lyrics and music by Cole Porter. It was introduced in 1944 in Billy Rose's musical revue, Seven Lively Arts....
", a Cole Porter song, that same year for a
cameo appearanceA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
in the
Derek JarmanMichael Derek Elworthy Jarman was an English film director, stage designer, diarist, artist, gardener and author.-Life:...
film
Edward IIEdward II is a 1991 film directed by Derek Jarman, starring Steven Waddington, Tilda Swinton and Andrew Tiernan. It is based on the eponymous play by Christopher Marlowe...
. She then made an appearance with
David BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
and the surviving members of
QueenQueen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
at 1992's Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at London's Wembley Stadium, performing "
Under Pressure"Under Pressure" is a 1981 song recorded by Queen and David Bowie. It marked Bowie's first released collaboration with another recording artist as a performer, and is featured on Queen's 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart. It was also number 31 on VH1's 100 Greatest...
".
1992–93: Diva
Lennox began working with former
Trevor HornTrevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
protegé
Stephen LipsonStephen J. Lipson is a musician and producer who has worked with numerous artists, including Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Cher, Grace Jones, Paul McCartney, Pet Shop Boys, Take That, Simple Minds, Lindisfarne, and Annie Lennox....
, beginning with her 1992 solo début album, Diva. It was a commercial and critical success, charting #1 in the UK, #6 in Germany, and #23 in the US where it went
double platinumIn the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
. Lennox's profile was boosted by Divas singles, which included "
Why"Why" is the first solo single by the Scottish singer Annie Lennox, released in 1992. It was taken from her debut solo album Diva and reached no.5 in the United Kingdom and number thirty-four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The single also reached no.6 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart...
" and "
Walking on Broken Glass"Walking on Broken Glass" is a song written and performed by Scottish singer Annie Lennox, taken from her 1992 album, Diva. This song reached #1 in Canada, #8 in the UK and Ireland and #14 in the US singles charts.- CD single :...
". "Why" won an MTV Award for Best Female Video at the
1992 MTV Video Music AwardsThe 1992 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 9, 1992, honoring the best music videos from June 16, 1991, to June 15, 1992. The show was hosted by Dana Carvey at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles....
, while the video for "Walking on Broken Glass" featured the actors
Hugh LaurieJames Hugh Calum Laurie, OBE , better known as Hugh Laurie , is an English actor, voice artist, comedian, writer, musician, recording artist, and director...
and
John MalkovichJohn Gavin Malkovich is an American actor, producer, director and fashion designer with his label Technobohemian. Over the last 25 years of his career, Malkovich has appeared in more than 70 motion pictures. For his roles in Places in the Heart and In the Line of Fire, he received Academy Award...
. "
Little Bird"Little Bird" is a song by the Scottish singer Annie Lennox, and was released as a single in 1993. Taken from her debut solo album, Diva , it was released as a double A-side with "Love Song for a Vampire"...
" also formed a double A-side with "
Love Song for a Vampire"Love Song for a Vampire" is a song by Scottish singer Annie Lennox. It was recorded as the theme song to Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 film adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula. The song is used in the end credits of the film.- Music video:...
", a soundtrack cut for
Francis Ford CoppolaFrancis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors...
's 1992 movie Bram Stoker's Dracula. The
B-sideA-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
of her single "
Precious"Precious" is a song by Annie Lennox. It was released as the second single from her debut solo album, Diva, in 1992 and peaked at number 23 in the UK...
" was a self-penned song called "
Step by Step"Step by Step" is a song written and originally recorded by singer Annie Lennox, later a cross over pop hit by R&B/pop singer Whitney Houston. The song served as the second single from Houston's 1996 soundtrack album, The Preacher's Wife...
", which was later a hit for
Whitney HoustonWhitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
for the soundtrack of the film
The Preacher's WifeThe Preacher's Wife is a 1996 romantic-family-dramedy-christmas film directed by Penny Marshall, and starring Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, and Loretta Devine. It is a remake of the 1947 film The Bishop's Wife....
. The song "Keep Young and Beautiful" was included on the CD release as a bonus track (the original vinyl album had only ten tracks).
The album entered the UK album chart at no.1 and has since sold over 1.2 million copies in the UK alone, being certified quadruple platinum. It was also a success in the US where it was a top 30 hit and has sold in excess of 2,700,000 copies. In 1993, the album was included in Q magazine
's list of the "50 Best Albums of 1992". Rolling Stone magazine (25 June 1992, p. 41) described the album as "...state-of-the-art soul pop..." and it is included in Rolling Stone's (13 May 1999, p. 56) "Essential Recordings of the 90's" list. The album won Best British Album at the 1993 Brit Awards.
1995–2000: Medusa and return to Eurythmics
Although Lennox's profile decreased for a period because of her desire to bring up her two children outside of the media's glare, she continued to record. Her second album,
MedusaMedusa is the second solo album by the Scottish singer Annie Lennox, released in March 1995. It consists solely of cover songs, all originally recorded by male artists. It entered the UK album chart at No. 1 and peaked in the US at number 11, spending 60 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart. It has...
, was released in March 1995. It consisted solely of cover songs, all originally recorded by male artists including
Bob MarleyRobert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
and
The ClashThe Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
. It entered the UK album chart at No. 1 and peaked in the US at number 11, spending 60 weeks on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart and selling over 2,000,000 to date in the United States. It has achieved double platinum status in both the UK and the US. The album yielded four UK singles: "No More I Love You's" (which entered the UK singles chart at No. 2, Lennox's highest ever solo peak), "
A Whiter Shade of Pale"A Whiter Shade of Pale" is the debut song by the British band Procol Harum, released 12 May 1967. The single reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on 8 June 1967, and stayed there for six weeks. Without much promotion, it reached #5 on the US charts, as well...
", "
Waiting in Vain"Waiting in Vain" is a song written by reggae musician Bob Marley and recorded by Bob Marley & The Wailers, for his 1977 album Exodus. Released as a single, it hit number twenty-seven in the UK Singles Chart.-Annie Lennox version:...
" and "
Something So Right"Something So Right" is a song by Paul Simon. It was originally featured on his 1973 album There Goes Rhymin' Simon.In 1976, the song was recorded by Miami soul singer Gwen McCrae giving name to her album Something So Right....
". The album was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the
Grammy Awards of 1996The 38th Grammy Awards were held on February 28, 1996. The awards recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Alanis Morissette was the night's big winner, scoring four trophies, including Album of the Year.-Award winners:...
, losing to
Turbulent IndigoTurbulent Indigo is the fifteenth album by Joni Mitchell. It was released in 1994, and became one of her most critically acclaimed releases, winning a Grammy Award for Pop Album of the Year....
by
Joni MitchellJoni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
, however, Lennox won the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the single "No More I Love You's". Though Lennox declined to tour for the album, she did perform a large scale one-off concert in New York's
Central ParkCentral Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
, which was filmed and later released on home video.
In 1997, Lennox re-recorded the Eurythmics track "Angel" for the
Diana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
tribute album, and also recorded the song "Mama" for The Avengers soundtrack album. In 1998, following the death of a mutual friend (former Tourists member
Peet CoombesPeet Coombes was the guitarist and vocalist with Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart in the two pre-Eurythmics bands, The Catch, who only released one single, "Borderline/Black Blood" and the Tourists, who had quite a few UK hits in the late '70s...
), she re-united with
Dave StewartDavid Allan Stewart , often known as Dave Stewart, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Eurythmics. He is usually credited as David A. Stewart, to avoid confusion with other musicians named "Dave Stewart".-Early life:Stewart was born in Sunderland,...
. Following their first performance together in eight years at a record company party, Stewart and Lennox began writing and recording together for the first time since 1989. This resulted in the album Peace. The title was designed to reflect the duo's ongoing concern with global conflict and world peace. The record was promoted with a concert on the
GreenpeaceGreenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
vessel Rainbow Warrior II, where they played a mixture of old and new songs. "
I Saved the World Today"I Saved the World Today" is a song recorded by the British pop music duo Eurythmics. It was written and co-produced by bandmembers Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and was included on their album Peace in 1999....
" was the lead single, reaching number eleven on the
UK singles chartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. Another single, released at the beginning of 2000, "17 Again", made the UK top 40, and topped the
US dance chartThe Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
. In 2002, Lennox received a Billboard Century Award; the highest accolade from
BillboardBillboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Magazine, with Editor-in-Chief Timothy White describing her as one of "the most original and unforgettably affecting artists in the modern annals of popular music."
2003–07: Bare and work in Africa
In 2003, Lennox released her third solo album,
Bare- Singles :No singles were released from the album in the UK, though "Pavement Cracks" and "Wonderful" were released as a CD Maxi-single and a limited CD Single respectively in the US, while "A Thousand Beautiful Things" was released as a radio single only...
. The album peaked at #3 in the UK and #4 in the US - her highest charting album in the US to date. She embarked on her first tour as a solo artist to promote the album. The tour, simply titled Solo Tour, pre-dated the release of the album and visited both the US and Europe, with only a two-night stop in the UK at Saddler's Wells Theatre in London. The album has been certified Gold in both the UK and the US and was nominated for
Best Pop AlbumThe Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality pop music albums...
at the 46th Grammy Awards. The album was released with a DVD which included interviews and acoustic versions of songs by Lennox. The Japanese edition of the album features a version of Lennox's earlier hit "Cold" recorded live in
TorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
In 2004, Lennox won the Academy Award for Best Song for "
Into the West"Into the West" is an Oscar winning song, written by Fran Walsh, Howard Shore, and Annie Lennox, and performed by Lennox. The song plays during the closing credits of the film, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King...
" from the film
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson that is based on the second and third volumes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings...
, which she co-wrote with screenwriter
Fran WalshFrances "Fran" Walsh, Lady Jackson, MNZM is a screenwriter, film producer and occasional musician. She is the spouse of filmmaker Peter Jackson. They have two children: Billy and Katie....
and composer
Howard ShoreHoward Leslie Shore is a Canadian composer, notable for his film scores. He has composed the scores for over 80 films, most notably the scores for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, for which he won three Academy Awards. He is also a consistent collaborator with director David Cronenberg,...
. The song also won a Grammy award and a Golden Globe award. She had previously recorded "Use Well the Days" for the movie, which incorporates a number of quotations from
TolkienJohn Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
in its lyrics. This song was not used in the film, but it appears on a bonus DVD included with the "special edition" of the movie's soundtrack CD. In mid-2004, Lennox embarked on an extensive North American tour with Sting. In July 2005, Lennox performed at
Live 8Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...
in
Hyde Park, LondonHyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
, along with
MadonnaMadonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Sting, and other popular musicians.
In 2005, Lennox and Stewart collaborated on two new songs for their Eurythmics compilation album,
Ultimate Collection-Personnel:*Mastered By, remastered by - Ian Cooper*Producer - Adam Williams , David A. Stewart , Eurythmics -Chart performance:-Certifications:...
, of which "
I've Got a Life"I've Got a Life" is a single released by pop music duo Eurythmics. It was written by Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and produced by Stewart.-Recording:...
" was released as a single in October 2005. The promotional video for the song features Lennox and Stewart performing in the present day, with images of past Eurythmics videos playing on television screens behind them. The single peaked at number fourteen in the
UK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
and was a number-one US
Dance hitThe Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
. On 14 November 2005, Sony BMG repackaged and released Eurythmics' back catalogue as 2005 Deluxe Edition Reissues.
2007–08: Songs of Mass Destruction and AIDS activism
Ending her long association with
Stephen LipsonStephen J. Lipson is a musician and producer who has worked with numerous artists, including Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Cher, Grace Jones, Paul McCartney, Pet Shop Boys, Take That, Simple Minds, Lindisfarne, and Annie Lennox....
, Lennox's fourth solo album,
Songs of Mass DestructionSongs of Mass Destruction is the title of the fourth studio album by Annie Lennox, released on October 1, 2007 in the UK and October 2, 2007, in the U.S.. The album debuted at number 7 in the UK, and number 9 in the U.S. where it sold 78,000 copies its first week...
, was recorded in
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with veteran producer
Glen BallardGlen Ballard is an American songwriter and record producer, best known for co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill , which won Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album", and "Album of the Year" amongst others, and is ranked by the Rolling Stone amongst The 500 Greatest Albums of...
(known for producing
Alanis MorissetteAlanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...
's album,
Jagged Little PillJagged Little Pill is the third studio album by Canadian recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette. It was Morissette's first internationally released album, and her first studio album after the three year hiatus following her break with MCA Records. The album marked a shift from her style...
). It was released on 1 October 2007, and was the last studio album of Lennox's contract with
BMGBertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
. It peaked at #7 in the UK and #9 in the US. Lennox stated that she believed the album consisted of "twelve strong, powerful, really emotive songs that people can connect to". If she achieves that, she says, "I can feel proud of [it], no matter if it sells ten copies or 50 million." Lennox described it as "a dark album, but the world is a dark place. It's fraught, it's turbulent. Most people's lives are underscored with dramas of all kinds: there's ups, there's downs - the flickering candle." She added, "Half the people are drinking or drugging themselves to numb it. A lot of people are in pain."
The album's first single was "
Dark Road"Dark Road" is a song by Annie Lennox, released on 24 September 2007, as the first single from her fourth solo album Songs Of Mass Destruction....
", released on 24 September 2007. Another song on the album, "
Sing"Sing" is a song by Annie Lennox, released as the second single from her fourth solo studio album, Songs of Mass Destruction . The single was originally released as a digital download only single in late 2007. A limited 3 track edition was made available exclusively from The Body Shop from 10...
", is a collaboration between Lennox and 23 prominent female artists:
AnastaciaAnastacia is an American singer-songwriter. Anastacia has been highly successful in Europe, Asia, South Africa and South America, but has had only minor success in her native United States...
,
Isobel CampbellIsobel Campbell is a Scottish singer, cellist and composer in the indie and rock genres.-History:Campbell was a member of Belle & Sebastian from their formation in Glasgow in 1996 until 2002, when she departed the band for personal reasons. She played cello and keyboards with the band, and sang...
,
DidoDido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong , known as Dido, is an English singer-songwriter.Dido shot to worldwide success with her debut album, No Angel...
,
Céline DionCéline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
,
Melissa EtheridgeMelissa Lou Etheridge is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician.Etheridge is known for her mixture of confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, smoky vocals...
, Fergie,
Beth GibbonsBeth Gibbons is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist for the iconic British band Portishead.-Early life:...
,
Faith HillFaith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S...
,
Angelique KidjoAngélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo, commonly known as Angélique Kidjo is a Grammy Award–winning Beninoise singer-songwriter and activist, noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. Time Magazine has called her "Africa's premier diva". The BBC has...
,
Beverley KnightBeverley Knight MBE is a British soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer who released her debut album in 1995. Heavily influenced by soul greats such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, Knight has released six studio albums to date...
,
Gladys KnightGladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
,
k.d. langKathryn Dawn Lang, OC , known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress...
,
MadonnaMadonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
,
Sarah McLachlanSarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four...
,
Beth OrtonBeth Orton is a BRIT Award–winning English singer-songwriter, known for her 'folktronica' sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers in the mid 1990s. However, these were not Orton's first...
,
PinkAlecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
,
KelisKelis Rogers Kelis Rogers Kelis Rogers (born August 21, 1971 is an American musical artist. She is a BRIT Award, Q Award and NME Award winner and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. She has had nine top 10 singles on the UK Singles Chart...
,
Bonnie RaittBonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
,
ShakiraShakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
,
Shingai ShoniwaShingai Elizabeth Maria Shoniwa is an English singer of Zimbabwean descent and best known as the vocalist and bassist for the UK indie rock band Noisettes...
,
Joss StoneJocelyn Eve Stoker , better known by her stage name Joss Stone, is an English soul singer-songwriter and actress. Stone rose to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions, which made the 2004 Mercury Prize shortlist...
,
SugababesThe Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
,
KT TunstallKate Victoria "KT" Tunstall is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist from St Andrews, Scotland. She broke into the public eye with a 2004 live solo performance of her song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on Later... with Jools Holland...
, and
Martha WainwrightMartha Wainwright is a Canadian-American folk-rock singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of American folk singer and actor Loudon Wainwright III and Canadian folk singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle...
. The song was recorded to raise money and awareness for the
HIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/
AIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
organization
Treatment Action CampaignThe Treatment Action Campaign is a South African AIDS activist organization which was founded by the HIV-positive activist Zackie Achmat in 1998. TAC is rooted in the experiences, direct action tactics and anti-apartheid background of its founder...
. Included among the group of vocalists are TAC activist members' own vocal group known as The Generics, whose CD of music inspired Lennox to make "Sing".
To promote Songs of Mass Destruction, Lennox embarked on a primarily North American tour called Annie Lennox Sings, which lasted throughout October and November 2007. The tour had 18 stops: London, San Diego, New York City (two dates), Boston. The venues generally were at medium-size theatres, except in New York, where one of the dates was a United Nations fundraiser at the Midtown restaurant
CiprianiCipriani S.A. is a privately owned international corporation based in Luxembourg that owns and operates luxury restaurants and clubs around the world including Harry's Bar in Venice and formerly the Rainbow Room in New York City....
.
2008–09: The Annie Lennox Collection and departing from Sony
Finishing out her contract with Sony BMG, Lennox released the compilation album
The Annie Lennox Collection- Limited edition :A limited edition of the album was released only in the UK on the same day containing a second CD with rare songs and a bonus DVD featuring a selection of Lennox's music videos plus a few live performances.Disc 2Disc 3 – Bonus DVD...
. Initially intended for release in September 2008, the release date was pushed back several months to allow Lennox to recuperate from a back injury. The compilation was eventually released in the US on 17 February 2009, and in the UK and Europe on 9 March 2009. Included on the track listing are songs from her four solo albums, one from the Bram Stoker's Dracula soundtrack, and two new songs. One of these is a cover of
Ash'sAsh are an alternative rock band that formed in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland in 1992. The band has sold 8 million albums worldwide.-Band beginning, Trailer and 1977 :...
single, "
Shining Light"Shining Light" is a song by Ash, which was released as the first single from their album Free All Angels. It was released on 29 January 2001. It was released as a single CD and as a 7" vinyl . It was also Ash's first single to be released as an enhanced CD...
". The other is a cover of a song by the English band Keane, originally the B-side of their first single in 2000. Lennox renamed the song from its original title "Closer Now" to "
Pattern of My Life"Pattern of My Life" is the second and last single released from Annie Lennox's first greatest hits album The Annie Lennox Collection. The song is a cover version of "Closer Now" by Keane which was a b-side to their debut single "Call Me What You Like". Lennox retitled the song, referring to a...
". A limited 3-disc edition of the album included a DVD compilation featuring most of Lennox's solo videos since 1992, and also featured a second CD of rarer songs including a version of
R.E.M.R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
's "
Everybody Hurts"Everybody Hurts" is a song by R.E.M., originally released on the band's 1992 album Automatic for the People and was also released as a single in 1993. It peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100, #7 on the UK Singles Chart and #3 on the French Singles Chart.-History:Much of the song was written by...
" with
Alicia KeysAlicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
and Lennox's Oscar winning "Into the West" from the third Lord of the Rings film. The album entered the UK Album Chart at #2 and remained in the top 10 for seven weeks.
Lennox's recording contract with Sony BMG concluded with the release of Songs of Mass Destruction and the subsequent retrospective album The Collection, and much was made in the press in late 2007/early 2008 about the apparent animosity between Lennox and the record company. Lennox stated that while on a trip to South Africa in December 2007 to appear at the 46664 campaign in Johannesburg, the regional company office of the label failed to return phone calls and e-mails she made to them for three weeks, and had completely failed to promote the Sing project as planned. Upon her return to the UK, Lennox met with the head of Sony BMG UK, Ged Docherty, who was "mortified" by the problems she had encountered with the South African branch. However, the debacle (partly inflamed when Lennox's dissatisfaction with the South African office was made public on her blog) led to press reports falsely stating that she was being dropped by Sony BMG. The record company themselves quickly refuted the rumour stating that Lennox's contract with them had merely been fulfilled and that they hoped she would consider remaining with them. The British tabloid, Daily Mirror, subsequently printed a retraction of its story about her being dropped by the label.
2010–present: Island Records and A Christmas Cornucopia
In August 2010, Lennox signed a new contract with
Island RecordsIsland Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
in the UK and
Decca RecordsDecca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
in the US (both part of the
Universal Music GroupUniversal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
). Her first release was a Christmas album entitled
A Christmas CornucopiaMetacritic gives A Christmas Cornucopia a weighted average score of 73 based on 9 critics, meaning "generally favorable reviews". Ian Wade of BBC Music gave the album a very positive review, saying "this collection could find itself becoming as much a part of the holiday season as arguments with...
, issued on 15 November 2010. The album is a collection of Lennox's interpretations of traditional festive songs such as "
Silent Night"Silent Night" is a popular Christmas carol. The original lyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" were written in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria, by the priest Father Joseph Mohr and the melody was composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber...
" and "
The First NoelThe First Nowell is a traditional classical English carol, most likely from the 18th century, although possibly earlier...
", along with one new composition, "
Universal Child"Universal Child" is a single by Scottish recording artist Annie Lennox, released worldwide on 12 October 2010 on Island Records. It is the lead single from her fifth studio album, A Christmas Cornucopia.-Release:...
", which was released as a download-only single on 13 October 2010. Lennox had previously showcased the song on the
American Idol Gives BackIdol Gives Back is the name of a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of American Idol during its sixth season. A second Idol Gives Back concert and fundraiser occurred on April 9, 2008, during the seventh season of the show. Idol Gives Back was not held in 2009 due to the ongoing...
TV show in April 2010. She sang the song "
Angels from the Realms of Glory"Angels from the Realms of Glory" is a Christmas carol written by English poet James Montgomery. It was first printed in the Sheffield Iris on Christmas Eve 1816, though it only began to be sung in churches after its 1825 reprinting in the Montgomery collection The Christian Psalmist and in the...
" from the album for the TNT special
Christmas in WashingtonChristmas in Washington is an annual Christmas television special that currently airs on the U.S. TNT network.-Background:One of two annual holiday specials produced by George Stevens, Jr. , the variety show first aired in 1981 on NBC before moving to its current home on TNT in 1998. Recorded in...
.
A music video was produced for a second single from the album, "
God Rest Ye Merry GentlemenGod Rest You Merry, Gentlemen is an English traditional Christmas carol. The melody is in Aeolian mode. It was published by William B...
". Lennox also performed the track on the UK chat show
Loose WomenLoose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip...
in December 2010, and was also interviewed.
According to
MetacriticMetacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, A Christmas Cornucopia has gained "generally favourable reviews". Ian Wade of
BBC MusicBBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
gave the album a very positive review, saying "this collection could find itself becoming as much a part of the holiday season as arguments with loved ones." Sal Cinquemani of
Slant MagazineSlant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
awarded the album 3.5/5 and said "Lennox seems more inspired on A Christmas Cornucopia than she has in years." John Hunt of Qatar Today magazine gave the album 9/10 and said "in particular, the vocal work and musical arrangement of 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' are impactful to the point of being intimidating."
Charity and political work
In 1990, Lennox recorded a version of
Cole PorterCole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
's "
Ev'ry Time We Say GoodbyePublished by Chappell & Company, "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" is a song with lyrics and music by Cole Porter. It was introduced in 1944 in Billy Rose's musical revue, Seven Lively Arts....
" for the Cole Porter tribute album
Red Hot + BlueRed Hot + Blue is the first in the series of compilation albums from the Red Hot Organization. The recording was the first in the Red Hot Benefit Series...
, a benefit for
AIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
awareness. A video was also produced.
Lennox has been a public supporter of
Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
and
GreenpeaceGreenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
for many years, and she and Dave Stewart donated all of the profits from Eurythmics' 1999 Peacetour to both charities.
In 2006, in response to her humanitarian work, Lennox became patron of the Master's Course in Humanitarian and Development Practice for
Oxford Brookes UniversityOxford Brookes University is a new university in Oxford, England. It was named to honour the school's founding principal, John Brookes. It has been ranked as the best new university by the Sunday Times University Guide 10 years in a row...
. In October 2006, Lennox spoke at the
British House of CommonsThe House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
about the need for children in the UK to help their counterparts in Africa.
On 25 April 2007, Lennox performed "
Bridge over Troubled WaterBridge Over Troubled Water is the fifth and final studio album by Simon & Garfunkel. Released on January 26, 1970 on both Quadraphonic and Stereo formats, it reached No. 1 on Billboard Music Charts pop albums list...
" during the
American IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
"Idol Gives Back" fundraising drive.
Lennox's 2007 song "
Sing"Sing" is a song by Annie Lennox, released as the second single from her fourth solo studio album, Songs of Mass Destruction . The single was originally released as a digital download only single in late 2007. A limited 3 track edition was made available exclusively from The Body Shop from 10...
" was born out of her involvement with
Nelson MandelaNelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
's 46664 campaign and
Treatment Action CampaignThe Treatment Action Campaign is a South African AIDS activist organization which was founded by the HIV-positive activist Zackie Achmat in 1998. TAC is rooted in the experiences, direct action tactics and anti-apartheid background of its founder...
(TAC), both of which are human rights groups which seek education and health care for those affected by
HIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
. In December 2007, Lennox established
The SING CampaignThe SING Campaign is a UK based, non-profit organization founded by artist/activist Annie Lennox which aims to raise funds and awareness for issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. The money raised by SING is used to help prevent the spread of HIV in South Africa, and also supports those currently living with...
, an organisation dedicated to raising funds and awareness for women and children affected by HIV and AIDS.
On 11 December 2007, she performed in the
Nobel Peace Prize ConcertThe Nobel Peace Prize Concert has been held annually since 1994 on 11 December, one day after the date of Alfred Nobel's death, to honour the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The award ceremony on 10 December takes place in the Oslo City Hall, while the concert is in the Oslo Spektrum Arena, with the...
in
OsloOslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway together with a variety of artists, which was broadcast to over 100 countries. She led a rally against the Gaza War in London on 3 January 2009.
Lennox opened the 2009 Edinburgh Festival of Politics with a stinging attack on Pope Benedict XVI's approach to HIV/AIDS prevention in Africa. She said that the Pope's denunciation of condoms on his recent tour of Africa had caused "tremendous harm" and she criticised the Roman Catholic Church for causing widespread confusion on the continent. Lennox also condemned the media's obsession with "celebrity culture" for keeping the AIDS pandemic off the front page. In an attempt to counter this, during her address, she wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the words "HIV positive". Lennox wore similar T-shirts at the 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concert at Madison Square Garden on 30 October 2009, while appearing on
The Graham Norton ShowThe Graham Norton Show is a British comedy chat show that is broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom. It was originally shown on BBC Two from February 2007 to May 2009 until it moved to BBC One from October 2009...
on 30 November 2009 (where she performed the new song "Full Steam", a duet with singer
David GrayDavid Gray is an English singer-songwriter. He released his first studio album in 1993 and received worldwide attention after the release of White Ladder six years later...
), also during a recorded performance for American Idol during a 21 April 2010 fund-raiser,
Idol Gives BackIdol Gives Back is the name of a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of American Idol during its sixth season. A second Idol Gives Back concert and fundraiser occurred on April 9, 2008, during the seventh season of the show. Idol Gives Back was not held in 2009 due to the ongoing...
, and most recently during a performance on the live
Comic ReliefComic Relief is an operating British charity, founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry in response to famine in Ethiopia. The highlight of Comic Relief's appeal is Red Nose Day, a biennial telethon held in March, alternating with sister project Sport Relief...
show on 18 March 2011. In June 2010, she was named as a
UNESCO Goodwill AmbassadorUNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors are celebrity advocates of UNESCO who use their talent or fame to spread the UNESCO ideals, especially attracting media attention...
for AIDS.
Lennox also supports the
Burma Campaign UKBurma Campaign UK founded in 1991 is a London based Non Governmental Organisation that aims to achieve the 'restoration of human rights and democracy in Burma . BCUK campaigns on behalf of the Burmese pro-democracy movement and is the largest campaigning organisation for Burma in Europe...
, a non-governmental organisation that addresses the suffering in Burma and promotes democratisation.
It was confirmed in late 2010 that Lennox would become an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition for her humanitarian work, which she received from Queen Elizabeth II on 28 June 2011.
Gay icon
Lennox has garnered a significant following within the
LGBTLGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
community. According to
The AdvocateThe Advocate is an American LGBT-interest magazine, printed monthly and available by subscription. The Advocate brand also includes a web site. Both magazine and web site have an editorial focus on news, politics, opinion, and arts and entertainment of interest to LGBT people...
, "[h]er distinctive voice and provocative stage persona have made Lennox a longtime gay icon." With Eurythmics' music videos earning regular rotation on MTV in the 1980s, Lennox took part in the shaping of popular culture alongside other gay icons such as
Boy GeorgeBoy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
,
MadonnaMadonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
,
MorrisseySteven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
, and
Michael StipeJohn Michael Stipe is an American singer and lyricist. He was the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.Stipe is noted and occasionally parodied for the "mumbling" style of his early career as well as his social and political activism. He was in charge of R.E.M.'s visual image; often...
.
Music videos
Both during her work with Eurythmics and in her solo career, Lennox has made many music promo videos. Her 1992 album Diva was accompanied by a video album that included promos for seven songs, which were directed by
Sophie MullerSophie Muller is a British music video director, noted for her long-time collaborations with artists like Sophie Ellis-Bextor, No Doubt, Sade, Shakira, Shakespears Sister, Garbage, Blur, Annie Lennox and Eurythmics.-Background:...
. Actors
Hugh LaurieJames Hugh Calum Laurie, OBE , better known as Hugh Laurie , is an English actor, voice artist, comedian, writer, musician, recording artist, and director...
and
John MalkovichJohn Gavin Malkovich is an American actor, producer, director and fashion designer with his label Technobohemian. Over the last 25 years of his career, Malkovich has appeared in more than 70 motion pictures. For his roles in Places in the Heart and In the Line of Fire, he received Academy Award...
appeared in the music video for "
Walking on Broken Glass"Walking on Broken Glass" is a song written and performed by Scottish singer Annie Lennox, taken from her 1992 album, Diva. This song reached #1 in Canada, #8 in the UK and Ireland and #14 in the US singles charts.- CD single :...
", while the video for "
Little Bird"Little Bird" is a song by the Scottish singer Annie Lennox, and was released as a single in 1993. Taken from her debut solo album, Diva , it was released as a double A-side with "Love Song for a Vampire"...
" paid homage to the different images and personas that have appeared in some of Lennox's previous videos. The clip features Lennox performing on stage with several lookalikes (male and female) that represent her personas from "Why", "Walking on Broken Glass", "Sweet Dreams", "Beethoven", "I Need a Man", "Thorn in My Side", "There Must Be an Angel", and even her stage image from the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. The single formed a double A-side with "
Love Song for a Vampire"Love Song for a Vampire" is a song by Scottish singer Annie Lennox. It was recorded as the theme song to Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 film adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula. The song is used in the end credits of the film.- Music video:...
", which features in the OST for the 1992 film Bram Stoker's Dracula. Many of her solo videos have a theatrical feel, often in period settings with dramatic and comedic flourishes.
Personal life
Both of Lennox's parents died of cancer. Her first marriage from 1984 to 1985 was to a German Hare Krishna devotee Radha Raman. From 1988 to 2000, she was married to Israeli
filmA film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and record producer Uri Fruchtmann. They have two daughters, Lola (born 1990) and Tali (born 1993). A son, Daniel, was
stillbornA stillbirth occurs when a fetus has died in the uterus. The Australian definition specifies that fetal death is termed a stillbirth after 20 weeks gestation or the fetus weighs more than . Once the fetus has died the mother still has contractions and remains undelivered. The term is often used in...
in December 1988. Lennox describes herself as an
agnosticAgnosticism is the view that the truth value of certain claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, but also other religious and metaphysical claims—is unknown or unknowable....
and lives in Notting Hill, London.
Lennox was estimated to have a fortune of £30 million in the
Sunday Times Rich ListThe Sunday Times Rich List is a list of the 1,000 wealthiest people or families in the United Kingdom, updated annually in April and published as a magazine supplement by British national Sunday newspaper The Sunday Times since 1989...
of 2010.
Discography
Studio albums
- Diva (1992)
- Medusa
Medusa is the second solo album by the Scottish singer Annie Lennox, released in March 1995. It consists solely of cover songs, all originally recorded by male artists. It entered the UK album chart at No. 1 and peaked in the US at number 11, spending 60 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart. It has...
(1995)
- Bare
- Singles :No singles were released from the album in the UK, though "Pavement Cracks" and "Wonderful" were released as a CD Maxi-single and a limited CD Single respectively in the US, while "A Thousand Beautiful Things" was released as a radio single only...
(2003)
- Songs of Mass Destruction
Songs of Mass Destruction is the title of the fourth studio album by Annie Lennox, released on October 1, 2007 in the UK and October 2, 2007, in the U.S.. The album debuted at number 7 in the UK, and number 9 in the U.S. where it sold 78,000 copies its first week...
(2007)
- A Christmas Cornucopia
Metacritic gives A Christmas Cornucopia a weighted average score of 73 based on 9 critics, meaning "generally favorable reviews". Ian Wade of BBC Music gave the album a very positive review, saying "this collection could find itself becoming as much a part of the holiday season as arguments with...
(2010)
Awards and nominations
Lennox has received a variety of major awards during her career:
American Music Awards-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
- 2008
The 2008 American Music Awards were held on November 23, 2008 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.-Performers:-Presenters:* Jamie Foxx* Sarah Chalke* Akon* Julianne Hough* Ashley Tisdale...
– AMA Award of Merit for her work and her humanitarian efforts
Academy Awards
- 2004
The 76th Academy Awards ceremony honored the best films of 2003 and was broadcast from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on ABC beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST/8:30 p.m. EST, February 29, 2004 . The show was produced by Joe Roth and was hosted for the eighth time by comedian Billy Crystal.The...
– Best Original Song ("Into the West")
Grammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s
- 1984 – Best New Artist (Eurythmics) (nominated)
- 1986 – Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (Eurythmics, "Would I Lie to You?") (nominated)
- 1987 – Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (Eurythmics, "Missionary Man")
- 1993 – Album of the Year (Diva) (nominated)
- 1993 – Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (Diva) (nominated)
- 1993 – Best Music Video – Long Form (Diva)
- 1996 – Best Pop Album (Medusa) (nominated)
- 1996 – Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ("No More I Love You's")
- 2004 – Best Pop Album (Bare) (nominated)
- 2005 – Best Song Written For a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media ("Into the West")
Ivor Novello AwardsThe Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Cardiff born entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They are presented annually in London by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and were first introduced in 1955.Nicknamed The Ivors, the awards take place...
- 1984 – Songwriter of the Year for Lennox and Dave Stewart
- 1987 – Songwriter of the Year for Lennox and Dave Stewart
- 1987 – Best contemporary song ("Its Alright, (Baby's Coming Back)")
- 1993 – Best Song ("Why")
BRIT AwardsThe Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
- 1984 – Best British Female Artist
- 1986 – Best British Female Artist
- 1989 – Best British Female Artist
- 1990 – Best British Female Artist
- 1993 – Best British Female Solo Artist
- 1993 – Best British Album (Diva)
- 1996 – Best British Female Solo Artist
- 1999 – Outstanding Contribution to British Music (Eurythmics)
MTV Video Music AwardsAn MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
- 1992
The 1992 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 9, 1992, honoring the best music videos from June 16, 1991, to June 15, 1992. The show was hosted by Dana Carvey at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles....
- Best Female Video ("Why")
Golden Globe AwardThe Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
s
- 2004 – Best Original Song – Motion Picture ("Into the West")
Honorary degrees and awards
- 1986 - Associate - Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
London
- 1997 - Fellowship - Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
London
- 2006 - Honorary Doctor of Music - The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is a conservatoire of music, drama, and dance in the centre of Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Educational Association, it is the busiest performing arts venue in Scotland...
- 2006 - Fellowship - Edinburgh College of Art
Edinburgh College of Art is an art school in Edinburgh, Scotland, providing tertiary education in art and design disciplines for over two thousand students....
- 2009 – Honorary Doctorate at the University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
(awarded 20 October 2009), in recognition of her work in the field of HIV/AIDS, and her success as a recording artist.
Other awards / titles / ambassadorships
- 2002 – Billboard Century Award by Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
- 2008 - OUT magazine honoured Lennox for her work in the HIV and Aids field. The top 100 most influential people in Gay Culture.
- 2008 - The British Red Cross Services to Humanity Award
- 2008 - Glamour Magazine's Inspirational Woman of the Year Award
- 2008 - Honoured at the 2008 Youth AIDS Gala, for her contribution in helping the fight against HIV and AIDS
- 2008 - The German Sustainability "special achievement" award for her commitment in the fight against HIV and AIDS
- 2008 - Webby Award for official website www.annielennox.com
- 2009 - Save the Children
Save the Children is an internationally active non-governmental organization that enforces children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries...
"Amigo de los Niños" Award
- 2009 - Awarded the "Freedom of the City of London" by the British Red Cross for services to humanity in the field of HIV and AIDS
- 2009 - Nobel Peace Laureates for services to humanity
- 2010 - Patron of the Elton John Aids Foundation
Elton John AIDS Foundation is one of the world's leading nonprofit organizations that was established by Sir Elton John in 1992 in the US * and 1993 in the UK * supporting innovative HIV/AIDS prevention, education programs, direct care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS.EJAF has...
- 2010 - Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
- 2010 - Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
for HIV/AIDS in London
- 2010 - UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador
- 2010 - Barclays Women of the Year Award
- 2010 - [International Service Award] for Global Defence of Human Rights
- 2010 - GQ Charity Woman of the Year Award
- 2010 - Harper's Bazaar Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2010 - OBE - Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for her work fighting AIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
and poverty in AfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
External links
- Official Annie Lennox website
- http://www.annielennoxsing.com/The SING Campaign
The SING Campaign is a UK based, non-profit organization founded by artist/activist Annie Lennox which aims to raise funds and awareness for issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. The money raised by SING is used to help prevent the spread of HIV in South Africa, and also supports those currently living with...
website, founded By Annie Lennox]
- Annie Lennox official YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel