Faye Louise Tozer Smith (born 14 November 1975) is an English singer and actress, best known as a member of the pop group Steps.

Career

Music

Steps are a pop group that have had a series of charted singles between 1997 and 2020. Their name is based on a gimmick: each of their music videos are choreographed, and the dance steps are included with most of their single releases. Steps have sold over 22 million records, including 15 million albums. During Steps’ split Tozer returned to the pop charts once, duetting with

Russell Watson Russell Watson (born 24 November 1966) is an English crossover/popular singer, almost in the tenor range, who has released singles and albums of both quasi-operatic-style and pop songs. He began singing as a child, and became known after per ...

. Their UK single "Someone Like You" charted at No. 10 in May 2002 and she joined him on his UK tour around the same time. In 2006, Tozer was featured as a guest vocalist for Plastic Cinema for two songs: "Take Me Under" and "Any Minute Now". Steps reformed in May 2011 for a four-part documentary series on

Sky Living Sky Living was a British pay television television channel, channel owned and operated by Sky Limited, Sky. The channel's programming was aimed mainly at women and young adults. It originally launched as UK Living yet became Sky Living by 2011. H ...

titled ''Steps: Reunion''. The series started airing on 28 September, following an announcement of a second greatest hits album, '' The Ultimate Collection'', that was released on 10 October 2011. The album entered the charts at number one, becoming the band's third album to achieve this feat. The second series of ''Steps: Reunion'' titled "Steps: On the Road Again" aired on

in April 2012; the series followed the band as they embarked on their sellout 22-date UK tour. On 24 September 2012, the group confirmed they would release their fourth studio album '' Light Up The World'' on 12 November 2012, alongside a six-date Christmas tour, starting from 30 November and ending on 5 December. The group reformed for a second time on 1 January 2017 in celebration of their 20th anniversary, and later announced their fifth studio album ''

Tears on the Dancefloor ''Tears on the Dancefloor'' is the fifth studio album by British group Steps. It was released on 21 April 2017, by Absolute and Fascination Records. The album is the group's first album in five years since ''Light Up the World'', and their fi ...

'', which was released in April 2017 and entered the charts at number 2. On 5 March 2017, the group confirmed the release of the new album, alongside its lead single, " Scared of the Dark", and a 22-date tour, Party on the Dancefloor. A deluxe edition of the album, titled ''Tears on the Dancefloor: Crying at the Disco'', was released on 27 October. In November 2017, Tozer announced that the reunion was no longer just a 20th-anniversary celebration and that the group intends to continue after their 2018 Summer of Steps tour. On 7 September 2020, via their social media accounts, Steps announced the release date of their album entitled ''

What the Future Holds ''What the Future Holds'' is the sixth studio album by the British group Steps and was their first album to be released with their new record label BMG on 27 November 2020. They had originally intended to release the project in the Spring, how ...

''. The album was released on 27 November of the same year, with pre-orders available from 8 September. The next day, they confirmed a new 14-date UK tour (with special guest

Sophie Ellis-Bextor Sophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor (born 10 April 1979) is an English singer and songwriter. She first came to prominence in the late 1990s as the lead vocalist of the indie rock band Theaudience. After the group disbanded, Ellis-Bextor went solo and ...

) starting in November 2021. The first single from the album was the

Greg Kurstin Gregory Allen Kurstin (born May 14, 1969) is an American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. He has won nine Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year, Non-Classical in 2017 and 2018, and contributed to five songs that pe ...

-and- Sia-penned "

", released on 9 September 2020. It was followed by " Something in Your Eyes" on 27 October 2020. "

To the Beat of My Heart "To the Beat of My Heart" is a song recorded by British group Steps, released on 16 January 2021 as the third single from their sixth studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as co ...

" was released as the album's third single in January 2021. The first single of '' What the Future Holds Pt. 2'' was confirmed as a reworked version of "Heartbreak in This City" featuring Michelle Visage.

Film and theatre

Tozer has combined a pop career with theatre work and acting. In 2004 she made her professional musical-theatre debut in a national tour of

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948) is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End theatre, West End and on Broadway theatre, Broad ...

's one-woman musical '' Tell Me on a Sunday''. She and

Patsy Palmer Julie Anne Merkell (''née'' Harris; born 26 May 1972), known professionally as Patsy Palmer, is a British actress and DJ. After appearing as Natasha in the children's drama series ''Grange Hill'' (1985–1987), she came to prominence for her p ...

alternated in the role. Tozer toured with the musical ''Love Shack'', which also featured former pop singers Jon Lee and

Noel Sullivan Noel Sullivan (born 28 July 1980, as Noel John Hayes) is a British singer and actor from Cardiff, Wales. He was a member of the British pop group Hear'Say. Like the other members of the group, he won his part through the ITV talent show ''Pop ...

, and soon after starred as ''Jubilee Climax'' in a production of '' Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens'' at

The Venue Leicester Square The Leicester Square Theatre is a 400-seat theatre in Leicester Place, immediately north of Leicester Square, in the City of Westminster, London. It was previously known as Notre Dame Hall, Cavern in the Town and The Venue. The theatre hosts st ...

in London's West End. In 2006 she toured in a production of ''

Me and My Girl ''Me and My Girl'' is a musical with music by Noel Gay and its original book and lyrics by Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose. The story, set in the late 1930s, tells of an unapologetically unrefined Cockney gentleman named Bill Snibson, wh ...

'', acted in the film ''Lady Godiva Back in the Saddle'' and appeared in the charity fitness DVD ''The Allstar Workout''. In 2007, Tozer appeared in a production of '' Dial M for Murder'' and in October began touring with the production ''Over the Rainbow – the Eva Cassidy Story'' playing

Eva Cassidy Eva Marie Cassidy (February 2, 1963 – November 2, 1996) was an American singer and musician known for her interpretations of jazz, Folk music, folk, and blues music, sung with a powerful, emotive soprano voice. In 1992, she released her f ...

. At Christmas 2007, she appeared in the pantomime ''

Aladdin Aladdin ( ; , , ATU 561, 'Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with '' One Thousand and One Nights'' (often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of the original ...

'' at the

Theatre Royal, Newcastle The Theatre Royal is a historic theatre, a Grade I listed building situated on Grey Street in Newcastle upon Tyne. History George III authorised the founding of a theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne in the 1780s. Newcastle's original Theatre Royal o ...

. Over Christmas 2008, Tozer played alongside ''

X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–200 ...

'' finalist Ray Quinn in

, at the Broadway Theatre in

Peterborough Peterborough ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in the City of Peterborough district in the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, England. The city is north of London, on the River Nene. A ...

. Tozer has filmed roles in the independent films ''Kung Fu Flid'' and ''Mixed Up''. In 2010, Tozer appeared in "In The Spotlight – Songs From The Musicals" which completed a UK tour, directed by Karen Edwards and choreographed by Tom Gribby. In December 2010 she starred in ''Aladdin'' at the Grove Theatre in her home town of Dunstable. In 2011 Tozer starred alongside her fellow Steps group member Ian "H" Watkins in a UK premier tour of ''Rhinestone Mondays''. The musical was the first Country and Western to be produced, with Tozer playing the part of Annie. In 2013 Tozer starred in the musical ''The Tailor-Made Man'' at the

Arts Theatre The Arts Theatre is a theatre in Great Newport Street, in Westminster, Central London. It opened on April 20, 1927. History It opened on 20 April 1927 as a members-only club for the performance of unlicensed plays, thus avoiding theatre cen ...

in London's West End for a limited 8-week run. She played the part of silent movie star

Marion Davies Marion Davies (born Marion Cecilia Douras; January 3, 1897 – September 22, 1961) was an American actress, producer, screenwriter, and philanthropist. Educated in a religious convent, Davies left the school to pursue a career as a chorus girl ...

. Tozer has played the role of Miss Hedge in '' Everybody's Talking About Jamie'' in London's Apollo Theatre in the West End.

Television

Tozer appeared on the fifth series of ''

Big Star's Little Star ''Big Star's Little Star'' is a British game show that began on ITV on 4 September 2013 and is presented by Stephen Mulhern. The show sees three celebrity contestants and their children or grandchildren answering questions about each other to ...

'' with her son Benjamin. She also placed third in a celebrity edition of '' Four Weddings'', losing out to Michelle Marsh. In 2017, Tozer was one of four contestants on season 7, episode 8 of The Celebrity Chase, progressing to the episode's Final Chase. From September 2018, Tozer participated in the sixteenth series of ''

Strictly Come Dancing ''Strictly Come Dancing'' (commonly referred to as ''Strictly'') is a British dance contest show in which celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete in mainly Ballroom dance, ballroom and Latin dance, Latin dance. Each couple is ...

'', where her professional dance partner was Giovanni Pernice. The couple were joint runners-up in the final. She appeared on a celebrity special of the classic game show ''

Catchphrase A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...

'', with Sir

Chris Hoy Sir Christopher Andrew Hoy (born 23 March 1976) is a former Track cycling, track cyclist and racing driver from Scotland who represented Great Britain at the Olympics, Great Britain at the Olympic Games, Olympic and World Championships and Scot ...

Martine McCutcheon Martine Kimberley Sherrie McCutcheon (formerly Ponting, born 14 May 1976) is an English actress and singer. She began appearing in television commercials at an early age and made her television debut in the children's television drama '' Bluebir ...

and hosted by

Stephen Mulhern Stephen Daniel Mulhern (born 4 April 1977) is an English television presenter, entertainer, magician and comedian. He began his career at CITV presenting the children’s television shows '' Finger Tips'' (2001–2004) and '' Tricky TV'' (2005� ...

all trying to guess the familiar phrases.

Discography

*"Someone Like You" (with

) (2002),

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, record label * Decca Gold, classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, musical theater record label * Decca Studios, recording facility in West ...

– UK #10, IRE #46

Personal life

In 2002, she married her longtime Danish boyfriend Jesper Irn at the Priory Church in

Dunstable Dunstable ( ) is a market town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, east of the Chiltern Hills, north of London. There are several steep chalk escarpments, most noticeable when approaching Dunstable from the north. Dunstable is the fou ...

Bedfordshire Bedfordshire (; abbreviated ''Beds'') is a Ceremonial County, ceremonial county in the East of England. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Hertfordshire to the south and the south-east, and Buckin ...

. They divorced after five years. On 24 February 2009, she gave birth to her first child, named Benjamin Barrington Tozer-Smith. On 5 December 2009, Tozer married Michael Smith in a ceremony at Beamish Hall, televised on an episode of '' Celebrity Four Weddings''. and moved to Boldon, South Tyneside.

References

External links

*
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tozer, Faye 1975 births Living people English women singers Steps (group) members English musical theatre actresses English stage actresses People from Dunstable Musicians from Northampton Actors from Central Bedfordshire District Actresses from Bedfordshire Actresses from Northampton