She's been a card-carrying punk, a blues shouter, and a dance-floor diva. She's taken one of the most expressive voices heard in pop music in many a year and used it to vividly depict the depths of despair and the celestial joys of love. In short, Alison Moyet revered singer/songwriter, has again and again pushed the limits of pop music ... and she's not about to stand still.
Born in Billericay, Essex, Alison grew up in Basildon and left school at sixteen largely unqualified. She spent time as a shop worker before embarking on a piano tuning course which she had to abort in the second year as the single, Only You, became a worldwide hit. This new found fame was alongside electronic innovator, Vince Clarke in the band Yazoo. Together, they redefined dance music, merging the cold soundscapes of synthesized music with sweet soul music. However, after two albums, and a Brit Award for Best New Band, it was time for Alison to move on.
Her subsequent solo debut, Alf, spawned three UK Top 10 hits and between 1984 and 1987 she toured extensively, won two Brit Awards and performed at Wembley Stadium for Live Aid in 1985. In 1987, Alison released Raindancing, an album that won her a third Brit Award and brought her to America for the first time as a solo performer. It was a time of great commercial success, but Alison wasn't about to sacrifice her penchant for musical risk taking.
Following a sabbatical, to pull back a career that was moving faster than she was, Alison sequestered herself in the studio for an extended period emerging with the highly acclaimed Hoodoo, a back-to-basics collection that saw her return to raw rock roots on several tracks, while dipping into deep soul music mixed with a Pentecostal fervour on others. Following the release of Hoodoo in the USA Alison was nominated for a prestigious Grammy award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. The follow up album, Essex, saw her continue the themes explored in Hoodoo and left her fans all impatient for more.
Singles, her ‘collections’ CD, entered the UK album chart at No.1, and clearly demonstrated just why she is one of Britain’s finest recording artists. This was reinforced, following yet another sold out tour of the UK (including three nights at the Royal Albert Hall), when the Singles album was repackaged along with a bonus live CD (No Overdubs) and re-entered the Top 20.
Towards the end of 2001 Alison made her stage debut in the West End hit musical Chicago playing the role of Matron ‘Mama’ Morton to critical acclaim: “…the packed auditorium saluted Ms Moyet with a deafening cacophony… (she) stole the show” - Evening Standard. Alison stayed with the show for six months.
August 2002 saw the release of her first studio album in over eight years. Entitled Hometime, the album was released to critical acclaim and within the first ten weeks of release topped 100,000 sales, catapulted Alison into the Top 5 Best Selling Female UK Artists of 2002 and was nominated for Best Female Vocal at the 2003 BRIT Awards. To coincide with the release of Hometime Alison embarked on a UK tour, her first in several years, playing to capacity audiences across the country and again garnering laudatory reviews.
Her career in the UK is recognised by three BRIT Awards, nine top ten singles and seven top ten albums, including three number ones. Her worldwide record sales exceed 20 million records.
Alison’s new album ‘Voice’, produced and arranged by Academy Award winner Anne Dudley, is released on September 6th 2004.
Alison is married to David and has three children.
