Louise Elizabeth Redknapp (born Louise Elizabeth Nurding, 4 November, 1974) is an English singer and television presenter, known as a member of the girl group Eternal and subsequently as a solo singer (billed simply as "Louise").
Among UK sport fans she is known as the wife of English footballer-turned-pundit Jamie Redknapp.
In the July 2004 edition of FHM, she was named Sexiest Woman of the Decade.
Music career
Eternal
While out illegally clubbing (at the age of 16) Nurding met music producer Denis Ingoldsby who was forming a girl band. She subsequently introduced him to her friend Kéllé Bryan.1
Bryan and Nurding, together with sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett, formed Eternal in 1993. They performed a mixture of heavy R&B, soul, pop and dance. Eternal's debut single "Stay" entered the UK charts at number 4, and their album, Always and Forever sold over 1.5 million copies in the UK.
In June 1995 Nurding left the band.
Solo career with EMI
In late 1995 Nurding signed a record deal with First Avenue management and EMI Records. Professionally now known simply as "Louise", her debut solo single was the orchestral ballad "Light of My Life" (which reached #8 on the UK charts), followed by "In Walked Love" (previously a hit from the self-titled 1992 album by the dance/pop group Exposé).
Her third single, "Naked" reached number 5 in the UK, remaining in the top 20 for many weeks; it also charted charts in the rest of Europe.
Nurding 's debut solo album, also entitled Naked, was released shortly after the single. The album received lukewarm reviews.citation needed Nevertheless, it peaked at number 7 in the UK album charts, quickly received platinum certification, and sold over a million copies. Two further singles were released: 'Undivided Love' UK #5 - an up-tempo track and the sultry, R&B track 'One Kiss From Heaven' UK #9.
In 1997 Nurding returned with the single "Arms Around The World"; the song was criticised by media for sounding like Janet Jackson's "Runaway", yet the single reached number 4.
Louise's second solo album, Woman in Me reached number 5 in the UK charts and also charted throughout Europe. The reviews from the album were generally very good, many classing it as a mature and diverse pop album.citation needed Louise embarked on a sold-out tour of over 20 dates, including Wembley Arena.citation needed
"Let's Go Round Again" (a cover of a song by The Average White Band) was the second single released on the album. While the song only reached number 10 in the charts it became Louise's biggest selling single, selling over 250,000 copies.
At the start of 1998, Nurding's career was at a high point: her album had gone platinum and sold over a million copies, she was on the cover of magazines such as 'Smash Hits' and 'GQ' and had been voted The Sexiest Woman In The World by the readers of FHM magazine. The Louise Soft and Gentle No Sweat Tour, one of the first tours to be choreographed by director/choreographer Jamie Kingcitation needed, was sold out.
After getting married, Redknapp spent just under a year making what she describedcitation needed as her most personal album to date, Elbow Beach. Creatively Louise was more involved in the process of this album than her previous two, co-writing all 12 tracks and co-producing most of them.
The lead single from 'Elbow Beach', the R&B-styled "2 Faced" went straight into the charts at number 3, and became Louise's highest charting single. Despite the initial hype and critical praise, total sales for Elbow Beach were weaker than the previous two productions, and the album peaked at number 12.
After the 'Elbow Beach' was released Redknapp had one album left on her five-album deal with EMI (including Eternal's Always and Forever). The label decided to release a greatest hits compilation, incorporating all of her 15 top-10 hit singles. It was called Changing Faces - The Best Of... and featured 3 new tracks, including a cover of Five Star's "The Slightest Touch".
The album was successful enough to merit a second solo tour. Louise played smaller locations across the UK, and all 36 dates sold out.citation needed
EMI later released a second greatest hits album entitled Finest Moments with a slightly different tracklisting.
After EMI
In 2002 Redknapp signed a £1.5 million contract with her manager Oliver Smallman's Positive Records, a division of Universal Music to record her fourth solo album. She worked with producers on both sides of the Atlantic including teams who had worked with the likes of Destiny's Child, Jamelia, Michael Jackson, Craig David and Sugababescitation needed, but the album was never released. One single came was released from these sessions, "Pandora's Kiss", which became her last hit single, reaching number 5 in the UK.
After switching managers again (to Merlin Elite), in 2004 several songs were given Internet-only releases: Bounce Back, Slam, Lil' Lou, Don't Ever Change and Make it Fit (co-written by Jamelia).
On 3 October, 2007, Louise appeared on The Alan Titchmarsh Show and stated that her next goal was to reprise her music career, and begin working on a new album in 2008. "I miss it so much," she said.citation needed
Career outside of music
On television, Louise has presented editions of SMTV Live, CD:UK, Soccer Aid: Extra Time, This Morning (interviewing fashion designer Tracy Boyd and others), three series of the revived The Clothes Show for UKTV Style, and in March 2007 the controversial documentary The Truth About Size Zero for ITV1.
Alongside her husband Jamie Redknapp and former footballer Tim Sherwood, Redknapp is publishing a magazine called Icon Magazine, aimed solely at professional sports stars and celebrities.
She has been seen as the face of a number of advertising campaigns: the Safe And White campaign for Boots, Flora's' Omega 3 products, the new cosmetics company Think Happy: Organics, Hovis Invisible Crust and work for the RSPCA, Boots and BT. She is currently brand ambassador for the new Orbit2 Complete detox guide to teeth and mouth and a model for Avon.
In autumn 2007 Redknapp was unveiled as the new face of Triumph lingerie for 2007 and 2008.
Discography
Albums
Naked
- Released: 1996
- Chart positions: #7 UK
- UK certification: Platinum
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Woman In Me
- Released: 1997
- Chart positions: #5 UK
- UK Certification: 2x Platinum
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Elbow Beach
- Released: 2000
- Chart positions: #12 UK
- UK Certification: Silver
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Changing Faces - The Best Of...
- Released: 2001
- Chart positions: #9 UK
- UK Certification: Gold
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Finest Moments
- Released: 2002
- Chart positions: #6 UK (on budget album chart)
- UK Certification: N/A
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Singles
| Year |
Single |
Chart positions |
Album |
| UK |
IRL |
FRA |
NET |
| 1996 |
"Light of My Life" |
8 |
18 |
– |
– |
Naked
|
| "In Walked Love" |
17 |
47 |
– |
– |
| "Naked" |
5 |
11 |
– |
– |
| "Undivided Love" |
5 |
13 |
– |
– |
| "One Kiss from Heaven" |
9 |
28 |
– |
– |
| 1997 |
"Arms Around the World" |
4 |
11 |
– |
95 |
Woman in Me
|
| "Let's Go Round Again" |
10 |
14 |
30 |
70 |
| 1998 |
"All That Matters" |
11 |
33 |
– |
– |
| 2000 |
"2 Faced" |
3 |
13 |
– |
– |
Elbow Beach
|
| "Beautiful Inside" |
13 |
44 |
– |
– |
| 2001 |
"Stuck in the Middle" |
4 |
19 |
– |
– |
Changing Faces - The Best Of...
|
| 2003 |
"Pandora's Kiss" |
5 |
12 |
– |
– |
—
|
Other tracks
- 1995 "Real Love" ("Light of My Life" B-side)
- 1996 "All of You" ("In Walked Love" B-side)
- 1996 "Do Me Right" ("Naked" B-side)
- 1996 "Keep the Lovin' In" ("Naked" B-side)
- 1996 "How in the World" ("Undivided Love" B-side)
- 1996 "Better Next Time" ("Undivided Love" B-side)
- 1997 "Don't Be Shy" ("Arms Around the World" B-side/Woman In Me album track)
- 1997 "Intimate" ("Arms Around the World" B-side)
- 1997 "Just When I Thought" ("Let's Go Round Again" B-side)
- 1997 "How You Make Me Feel" ("Let's Go Round Again" B-side)
- 1997 "Distraction" (Japanese Woman In Me album bonus track)
- 1998 "Woman In Me (Live)" ("All That Matters" B-side)
- 1998 "When Will My Heart Beat Again (Live)" ("All That Matters" B-side)
- 1998 "If I Can't Have You" (A Tribute To The Bee Gees album track)
- 2000 "Say Yes" ("2 Faced" B-side)
- 2000 "Lost" ("2 Faced" B-side/Elbow Beach album track)
- 2000 "Clear Water" ("Beautiful Inside" B-side)
- 2000 "Better Back Off" ("Beautiful Inside" B-side)
- 2003 "Don't Give Up" ("Pandora's Kiss" B-side)
Internet-only releases
- 2004 "Bounce Back"
- 2004 "Slam"
- 2004 "Lil Lou"
- 2004 "Make It Fit"
- 2004 "Don't Ever Change" (features Lifford)
Personal life
Redknapp was born in Lewisham, London, to her builder father, and mother who works at Gatwick Airport. Louise and her two younger brothers grew up in Eltham, London, and Oxted, Surrey, where she attended the local Roman Catholic school. At the age of 11, she joined the Italia Conti Academy stage school and met Kéllé Bryan on her first day.3
Louise married now-retired Liverpool, Tottenham and England football player Jamie Redknapp on 29 June 1998. After diagnosis of back pain from endometriosis, through treatment by laser surgery, on 27 July 2004 Redknapp gave birth to a boy named Charley William Redknapp at the Portland Hospital. The boy's name was in honour of Louise's grandfather, who died on the day she found out that she was pregnant with Charley.4. She gave birth to her second son also at the Portland Hospital on 10 November 2008. The baby's name has been revealed as Beau Henry Redknapp.5 Louise is a vegetarian, who exercises through boxing.
Charitable activity
Louise participated in a celebrity edition of The Apprentice in order to raise money for charity.6 Sport Relief Does The Apprentice is part of the BBC's annual charity initiative and aired on March 12 and March 14 2008. Over £400,000 was raised.
References
External links
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Louise |
| Discography |
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| Studio albums |
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| Compilation albums |
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