H & Claire
Encyclopedia
H & Claire were a pop
duo
, consisting of former Steps members Claire Richards
and Ian "H" Watkins. They released one low-charting album
and three top ten singles
in 2002 before disbanding.
" on WEA Records
on 6 May 2002. Peaking at #1 on various club charts, the single debuted and peaked on the UK Singles Chart
at #3, spending a week in the Top 10.
Their second single, "Half A Heart
" followed on 12 August 2002, peaking at #8. Their third and final single release was a double A-side
of an original song entitled "All Out of Love
" and a cover of the Disney song "Beauty and the Beast
". The single was released in November 2002 and peaked at #10, spending 3 weeks on the UK
Top 40. Their debut album, Another You Another Me
, followed. However, it peaked at #58 in the UK Albums Chart
, and WEA Records soon dropped the pair.
Taking a break from singing
to plan her wedding
(a marriage
which
subsequently failed), Richards never recorded again with Watkins, and the duo dissolved in 2003. 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. In December 2006, she announced that she would be expecting her first child
, and on 8 May 2007, she gave birth to a baby boy, named Charlie.
Watkins decided to take a musical theatre course at the Royal Academy of Music
. He was filmed through the course and it was broadcast as a reality TV series, H-side Story, which followed him as he tries to make a new career in acting. At the end of the course Watkins passed his examination and graduated from the academy. He has since appeared in stage productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Cinderella
, and Fame
. On 3 January 2007, Watkins came out
as gay
in an interview with The Sun
newspaper. His interview was published the same day he entered the Celebrity Big Brother
house. He finished in fourth place on Celebrity Big Brother 2007.
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
, consisting of former Steps members Claire Richards
Claire Richards
Claire Ann Richards is an English singer best known for being the lead singer of Steps from 1997 to 2001. She was a contestant on the second series of Popstar to Operastar before being voted off in the Semi Finals...
and Ian "H" Watkins. They released one low-charting album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
and three top ten singles
Single (music)
In 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 2002 before disbanding.
History
Following the split of Steps on 26 December 2001, H & Claire formed the duo. The pair released their debut single "DJDJ (H & Claire song)
"DJ" was the debut single from former Steps members H & Claire. The song was their most successful single. Debuting at #3 and spending 11 weeks on the British charts.-Music video:...
" on WEA Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
on 6 May 2002. Peaking at #1 on various club charts, the single debuted and peaked on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The 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 ...
at #3, spending a week in the Top 10.
Their second single, "Half A Heart
Half a Heart
"Half a Heart" is a song by H & Claire, which became their second hit single in 2002. The song peaked at #8 in the UK Singles Charts and spent a total of 6 weeks in the British charts...
" followed on 12 August 2002, peaking at #8. Their third and final single release was a double A-side
A-side and B-side
A-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 an original song entitled "All Out of Love
All Out of Love (H & Claire song)
"All Out of Love" / "Beauty and the Beast" is the third and final single to be released by pop duo H & Claire, released in 2002. The song peaked at #10 on the UK Singles Charts...
" and a cover of the Disney song "Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (1991 song)
"Beauty and the Beast" is the Oscar winning leading single from the Academy Award Best Picture nominated animated film Beauty and the Beast film, and the first hit single from Céline Dion's eponymous album. It was performed in the movie by Angela Lansbury, and sung over the movie's closing credits...
". The single was released in November 2002 and peaked at #10, spending 3 weeks on the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Top 40. Their debut album, Another You Another Me
Another You Another Me
Another You Another Me is the only album to be released by former STEPS members H & Claire. The debut album was released after three top ten singles, however, the album limped in the UK charts at #53...
, followed. However, it peaked at #58 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, and WEA Records soon dropped the pair.
Taking a break from singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
to plan her wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
(a marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
which
subsequently failed), Richards never recorded again with Watkins, and the duo dissolved in 2003. 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. In December 2006, she announced that she would be expecting her first child
Child
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
, and on 8 May 2007, she gave birth to a baby boy, named Charlie.
Watkins decided to take a musical theatre course at the Royal Academy of Music
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...
. He was filmed through the course and it was broadcast as a reality TV series, H-side Story, which followed him as he tries to make a new career in acting. At the end of the course Watkins passed his examination and graduated from the academy. He has since appeared in stage productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
, and Fame
Fame (musical)
A stage musical based on the 1980 musical film Fame has been staged under two titles. The first, 'Fame – The Musical' conceived and developed by David De Silva, is a musical with a book by Jose Fernandez, music by Steve Margoshes and lyrics by Jacques Levy. The musical premiered in 1988 in Miami,...
. On 3 January 2007, Watkins came out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
as gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
in an interview with The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
newspaper. His interview was published the same day he entered the Celebrity Big Brother
Celebrity Big Brother 2007 (UK)
Celebrity Big Brother 2007 was the highly controversial fifth series of the United Kingdom reality television series Celebrity Big Brother, a spin-off of Big Brother. The series was broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK , and involved a number of celebrities referred to as 'housemates', who live in the...
house. He finished in fourth place on Celebrity Big Brother 2007.
Singles
- 2002: "DJDJ (H & Claire song)"DJ" was the debut single from former Steps members H & Claire. The song was their most successful single. Debuting at #3 and spending 11 weeks on the British charts.-Music video:...
" - UKUK 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 ...
#3 - 2002: "Half a HeartHalf a Heart"Half a Heart" is a song by H & Claire, which became their second hit single in 2002. The song peaked at #8 in the UK Singles Charts and spent a total of 6 weeks in the British charts...
" - UK #8 - 2002: "All Out of LoveAll Out of Love (H & Claire song)"All Out of Love" / "Beauty and the Beast" is the third and final single to be released by pop duo H & Claire, released in 2002. The song peaked at #10 on the UK Singles Charts...
" / "Beauty and the BeastBeauty and the Beast (1991 song)"Beauty and the Beast" is the Oscar winning leading single from the Academy Award Best Picture nominated animated film Beauty and the Beast film, and the first hit single from Céline Dion's eponymous album. It was performed in the movie by Angela Lansbury, and sung over the movie's closing credits...
" - UK #10