Sharleen Spiteri
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Sharleen Eugene Spiteri (born 7 November 1967) is a Scottish singer–songwriter and guitarist who has a
contralto A contralto () is a classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range is the lowest of their voice type, voice types. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare, similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to ...
vocal range, best known as the lead singer of the rock band
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
, who rose to prominence in 1989 with the release of their debut single "
I Don't Want a Lover "I Don't Want a Lover" is the debut single of Scottish band Texas (band), Texas, taken from their first album, ''Southside (Texas album), Southside'' (1989). The music starts with blues slide guitar followed by a throbbing rhythm section before t ...
". Their debut album, '' Southside'' (1989) was a commercial success, selling over two million copies. Follow up albums were less successful; however, the release of their fourth album '' White on Blonde'' (1997) returned the band to prominence, spawning the internationally successful singles " Say What You Want", "
Halo HALO, halo, halos or haloes may refer to: Most common meanings * Halo (optical phenomenon) * Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head * ''Halo'' (franchise), a sci-fi video game series (2001–2021) Arts and en ...
", " Black Eyed Boy" and " Put Your Arms Around Me". Their commercial success continued during the late 1990s and into the early 2000s, with singles " In Our Lifetime", " Summer Son", "
In Demand In Demand (stylized as iN DEMAND) is an American cable television service which provides video on demand services, including pay-per-view. Comcast, Cox Communications, and Charter Communications (with former independent companies Time Warner ...
" and " Inner Smile". Following the release of their seventh album '' Red Book'' (2005), the band began a hiatus. In 2013, Texas's worldwide album sales were counted at 40 million records. Texas returned from their hiatus in 2013 with ''
The Conversation ''The Conversation'' is a 1974 American neo-noir mystery thriller film written, produced, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It stars Gene Hackman as a surveillance expert who faces a moral dilemma when his recordings reveal a potential ...
'', which debuted at No. 4 on the UK Album Chart, No. 3 on their native Scottish Album Charts as well as No. 8 in France. A 25th-anniversary album followed in 2015 entitled ''
Texas 25 ''Texas 25'' is a compilation album by Scottish rock band Texas, released on 16 February 2015. The album was released to celebrate the band's 25th anniversary and features eight reworked Texas tracks along with four new songs. A 2-disc deluxe ed ...
'', followed by the band's ninth studio album, '' Jump on Board'' (2017), which achieved mainstream chart success, topping the albums charts in Scotland and debuting within the top ten in France, the United Kingdom and Belgium. Their tenth studio album, '' Hi'' was released in May 2021 and became their highest-charting album in the UK since 1999's '' The Hush'', reaching number three on the official UK Albums Chart, number one on the UK Independent Albums Charts and debuting at number one in their native Scotland. During the period Texas were on hiatus during 2005–2013, Spiteri released her debut solo album ''
Melody A melody (), also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combination of Pitch (music), pitch and rhythm, while more figurativel ...
'' which was released in 2008, followed by a second solo album, '' The Movie Songbook'', in March 2010. During this time, Spiteri was a judge on the
Sky The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the planetary surface, surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere of Earth, atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from ...
music talent show, ''
Must Be the Music ''Must Be the Music'' is a British television musical talent competition contested by aspiring singers and musicians drawn from public auditions. The show is a music competition and reality show that was broadcast in the United Kingdom and Irel ...
''. In 2022, Spiteri's estimated net worth was $15 million.


Early life

Spiteri was born in
Bellshill Maternity Hospital Bellshill Maternity Hospital was a health facility at Bellshill in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. History The hospital was built as a poor law hospital in the 1870s. It became an infectious diseases hospital in 1892 and a maternity hospital in 1917 ...
in
Bellshill Bellshill (pronounced "Bells hill") is a town in North Lanarkshire in Scotland, southeast of Glasgow city centre and west of Edinburgh. Other nearby localities are Motherwell to the south, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Hamilton to the south ...
, Scotland, to father Eddie, a guitar-playing merchant seaman, and mother Vilma, a singing window-dresser. Spiteri is of Maltese and French descent through her father and of Italian, Irish and German descent through her mother. When she was young, the family moved from the Glaswegian suburbs to nearby Balloch, close to the shores of
Loch Lomond Loch Lomond (; ) is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault (HBF), often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Central Scotland and the Highlands.Tom Weir. ''The Scottish Lochs''. pp. 33-43. Published by ...
, and she went to Vale of Leven Academy school there. As a teenager, she was interested by pop culture. Music was her escape: "I used to love going to the record shop on a Saturday and I'd buy a single and a plastic sleeve. I'd go back to my bedroom where inger
Siouxsie Sioux Susan Janet Ballion (born 27 May 1957), better known by her stage name Siouxsie Sioux (, ), is an English singer and songwriter. She came to prominence as the leader and main lyricist of the rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, who w ...
was painted on my bedroom wall". She later stated: "I guess what people never realise is that real bands and musicians are geeks, we spend our youth as geeks and we turn into these rock stars." While a student at Vale of Leven Academy, her nickname was '
Spit the Dog Spit or Spits may refer to: Common uses * Spit (archaeology), a term for a unit of archaeological excavation * Spit (landform), a section of land that extends into a body of water * Spit or rotisserie, a rotating device used for cooking by roast ...
', after the character on the TV show ''
Tiswas ''Tiswas'' (; an acronym of "Today Is Saturday: Watch And Smile") was a British children's television series that originally aired on Saturday mornings from 5 January 1974 to 3 April 1982 and was produced for the ITV network by ATV. It was c ...
''. Sharleen Spiteri worked as a hairdresser in Muirhead,
North Lanarkshire North Lanarkshire (; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the north-east of the Glasgow City council area and contains many of Glasgow's suburbs, commuter towns, and villages. It also borders East Dunbartonshire, Falkirk (co ...
, until Texas became her sole priority in 1988.


Career


Breakthrough with Texas (1989–1997)

Spiteri co-founded the band while working at the Irvine Rusk salon as a hairdresser in Glasgow. The band, composed of Spiteri, Johnny McElhone,
Ally McErlaine Alistair Manson McErlaine (born 31 October 1968), known as Ally McErlaine, is a Scottish guitarist, best known for his work with the band Texas, which he has been a member of since 1988. Ally is also a member of Red Sky July, who released thei ...
, Tony McGovern, Eddie Campbell, Michael Bannister and Neil Payne, first released an EP titled '' Everyday Now'' before releasing their debut album '' Southside'' in July 1989. The band gained international success with their debut single "
I Don't Want a Lover "I Don't Want a Lover" is the debut single of Scottish band Texas (band), Texas, taken from their first album, ''Southside (Texas album), Southside'' (1989). The music starts with blues slide guitar followed by a throbbing rhythm section before t ...
" which reached No. 8 in the UK Singles Chart, and No. 77 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Later singles released from ''Southside'' were not as successful, " Thrill Has Gone" which charted at No. 60 on the UK Singles Chart, " Everyday Now" at No. 44 and " Prayer for You" at No. 73. Only four singles were released from ''Southside'' before going on a tour and return to the studio to start work on their second album '' Mothers Heaven''. Around the same time as ''Southside'' was being recorded, Spiteri's cousin Mark Rankin was founding his own band, the hard rock band
Gun A gun is a device that Propulsion, propels a projectile using pressure or explosive force. The projectiles are typically solid, but can also be pressurized liquid (e.g. in water guns or water cannon, cannons), or gas (e.g. light-gas gun). So ...
, and Spiteri contributed backing vocals to two tracks from their debut album '' Taking on the World'', also released in 1989. In 1991, Texas's second studio album ''Mothers Heaven'' was released, soon after the band released an extended play to help promote the album; ''Extracts from Mothers Heaven'' was released in 1991. The album was released on 23 September 1991 and was not as successful as ''Southside''. Their third album, '' Ricks Road'', was released in 1993 and charted at No. 18 on the UK Album Charts. The album's lead single " So Called Friend" charted at No. 30 on the UK Singles Chart and the second " You Owe It All To Me" charted at No. 39. The further three singles released, " So in Love with You" charted at No. 28 in the United Kingdom. The further two singles "You've Got To Give a Little" and "Fade Away" did not chart in the United Kingdom.


''White on Blonde'' and increased popularity (1997–2001)

In 1997, Texas released " Say What You Want" and became the band's highest-charting single to date on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 3. Frequently updated – historical information accessible In February, Texas released their fourth album, '' White on Blonde'', which went on to become the band's most successful album to date. The album charted at No. 1 on the
UK Album Charts The Official Albums Chart is the United Kingdom's industry-recognised national record chart for albums. Entries are ranked by sales and audio streaming. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Offici ...
and returned to the top spot in the United Kingdom three times (including its debut peak at number one). The album managed 91 weeks on the UK Album Charts. After the success of "Say What You Want", Texas released the track "
Halo HALO, halo, halos or haloes may refer to: Most common meanings * Halo (optical phenomenon) * Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head * ''Halo'' (franchise), a sci-fi video game series (2001–2021) Arts and en ...
" on 7 April 1997. "Halo" became one of the band's biggest charting UK singles (the band's third UK Top 10 single at that point) charting at No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart. Like "Say What You Want", "Halo" received strong airplay on British radio stations and received fairly positive reviews from music critics. The song stayed on the UK Singles Charts for a total of seven weeks. Texas went on to release a third single from the album; " Black Eyed Boy" was released on 28 July 1997 and became the band's fourth UK top-ten single at the time of its release. The album's fourth single; " Put Your Arms Around Me" was released on 3 November 1997. In 1999, Texas released their first single from their new fifth studio album. " In Our Lifetime" was released in April 1999 and became the band's second highest-charting single in the United Kingdom, debuting at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart. With the success of "In Our Lifetime", Texas continued to go ahead with the released of their fifth studio album; '' The Hush'' was released in May 1999, and like its predecessor ''White on Blonde'', charted at No. 1 on the UK Album Charts in its first week of release. In 2000, Texas released their first ''
Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...
'' album on 23 October 2000. The album's lead single "
In Demand In Demand (stylized as iN DEMAND) is an American cable television service which provides video on demand services, including pay-per-view. Comcast, Cox Communications, and Charter Communications (with former independent companies Time Warner ...
" was released 2 October 2000.


''Careful What You Wish For'' and hiatus (2001–2008)

In 2001, Spiteri collaborated with American DJ
Roger Sanchez Roger Sanchez (born June 1, 1967) is an American house DJ, remixer and producer. He won a Grammy Award for his remix of "Hella Good" by No Doubt in 2003, and is best known for his song " Another Chance", which was an international hit in 2001. ...
on the track "Nothing 2 Prove", which featured on his debut album, '' First Contact'' (2001). In September 2002, Spiteri gave birth to her daughter Mysty Kyd, although this did not prevent her from working on another album. On 6 October 2003, Texas released their first single from their upcoming sixth album titled " Carnival Girl", which featured rapping vocals by Canadian artist
Kardinal Offishall Jason Drew Harrow (born May 11, 1976), better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall ( ), is a Canadian rapper and record producer. Often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", he has been regarded as one of the country's most prominent ...
. On 30 October 2003, Texas released their long-awaited sixth studio album, '' Careful What You Wish For''. The album did not make No. 1 in the United Kingdom like the past three albums (two studio releases and one Greatest Hits) but however, made No. 5 on the UK Album Charts and only managed Gold status awarded by the BPI for sales of over 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom. A second and final single, " I'll See It Through", was released on 8 December 2003. The single became the band's lowest charting single in the UK since " In My Heart" in 1991. The song only managed to make it to No. 40 on the UK Singles Chart and remained in the UK Top 100 for another two weeks. The band returned in mid-2005 with the single " Getaway", which entered the UK Singles Chart at No. 6, becoming the band's tenth UK top-ten single. " Can't Resist" was released as the second single on 31 October 2005. The band's seventh studio album, '' Red Book'', followed on 7 November 2005 and reached No. 16 in the UK albums chart. The band's third and final single "
Sleep Sleep is a state of reduced mental and physical activity in which consciousness is altered and certain Sensory nervous system, sensory activity is inhibited. During sleep, there is a marked decrease in muscle activity and interactions with th ...
" from the album was released on 9 January 2006. The song was the band's eleventh UK Top 10 single, peaking at No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart as well as making No. 37 on the Irish Singles Charts. The song featured vocals from Paul Buchannan from the
Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
band, the Blue Nile. On 21 February 2006, a
promo PROMO (Promoting Missouri) is a Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territ ...
-only single, "What About Us", was released. On 24 September 2007 the band released '' The BBC Sessions'', including radio sessions spanning from 1989 to 2005, with extensive liner notes and interviews with Spiteri. Cover songs include
Elmore James Elmore James ( Brooks; January 27, 1918 – May 24, 1963) was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and bandleader. Noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice, James was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ...
's "
It Hurts Me Too "It Hurts Me Too" is a blues standard, regarded as one of the most interpreted songs in the genre. First recorded in 1940 by Tampa Red, the song is a mid-tempo eight-bar blues that features slide guitar. It borrows from earlier blues songs a ...
", the
Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
' "
I've Got a Feeling "I've Got a Feeling" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1970 album '' Let It Be''. It was recorded on 30 January 1969 during the Beatles' rooftop concert. It is a combination of two unfinished songs: Paul McCartney's "I've ...
", and
Ashford & Simpson Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting, production and recording duo composed of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946). Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carol ...
's "
You're All I Need to Get By "You're All I Need to Get By" is a song recorded by the American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and released on Motown Records' Tamla label in 1968. It was the basis for the 1995 single " I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to ...
." On 11 September 2009, Ally McErlaine was hospitalised after he collapsed with a massive brain aneurysm at age 41. As of February 2010, he is on the road to recovery, as reported by Spiteri in ''The Sunday Mail'': "Ally is the most stubborn person I have ever come across, and I think his sheer pigheadedness is the reason he's still here. When he asked what was happening with Texas, I said it was up to him. He told me he wanted to get back into the studio."


Solo career and ''Melody'' (2008–2013)

After Texas released ''Red Book'' in 2005, the band members confirmed that they would enter a hiatus. Spiteri performed as guest vocalist on
Rammstein Rammstein (, "ramming stone") is a German band formed in Berlin in 1994. The band's lineup—consisting of lead vocalist Till Lindemann, lead guitarist Richard Kruspe, rhythm guitarist Paul Landers, bassist Oliver Riedel, drummer Christoph ...
's ''
Rosenrot (, "Rose-Red") is the fifth studio album by German band Rammstein, released on 28 October 2005. The album includes six songs artistically omitted from '' Reise, Reise''. The album's first title was ''Reise, Reise Volume Two'', but on 18 Augus ...
'' album. She began work on her debut solo album, working with some of her former bandmates. She wrote the vast majority of the tracks on the album. She released her debut solo album ''
Melody A melody (), also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combination of Pitch (music), pitch and rhythm, while more figurativel ...
'' on 14 July 2008 with " All The Times I Cried" serving as the album's lead single. The song charted at No. 26 on the UK Singles Chart. ''Melody'' was proven popular in the United Kingdom, debuting at a high No. 3 on the UK Album Charts. In other European countries where
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
were popular like in Belgium, the album charted at No. 15 on the Belgium Flanders Charts and No. 13 on the Belgium Wallonia Charts. The song " Don't Keep Me Waiting" was released as a single in Switzerland only, in which it charted at No. 78 on the singles charts there. A further two singles were released worldwide, " Stop, I Don't Love You Anymore" and " It Was You" which were both unpopular in the United Kingdom, missing the UK top 100, with "Stop, I Don't Love You Anymore" charting at No. 107 and "It Was You" at No. 178. By 2009, ''Melody'' has been certified Gold by the BPI (UK) with sales of over 100,000. Spiteri released her second solo studio album '' The Movie Songbook'' which consists of film covers chosen by Spiteri herself was released on 1 March 2010. The album's lead single " Xanadu" was released in February 2010, and charted at No. 71 on the UK Singles Chart in March 2010. As for the album, it charted at No. 13 on the UK Album Charts on 7 March 2010, thus becoming Spiteri's second UK top-40 album as a soloist, and her seventh UK top-40 album both as a soloist and a member of Texas. To promote the album, she performed in front of 55,000 fans supporting
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...
on his Up and Coming Tour at
Hampden Park Hampden Park ( ; Scottish Gaelic: ''Pàirc Hampden'') is a association football, football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland, which is the national stadium of football in Scotland and home of the Scotland national football ...
in Glasgow. In 2010, Spiteri appeared as a judge on the
Sky 1 Sky One was a British pay television channel operated and owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). Originally launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, it was Europe's first satellite and non- terrestrial channel. From 31 July 1989, ...
reality show ''
Must Be the Music ''Must Be the Music'' is a British television musical talent competition contested by aspiring singers and musicians drawn from public auditions. The show is a music competition and reality show that was broadcast in the United Kingdom and Irel ...
''.


Texas reunion and resurgence (2013–present)

In February 2013, ''
Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as ''Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music We ...
'' announced the band had signed a new record deal with
PIAS Recordings PIAS Recordings (formerly Play It Again Sam) is a Belgian record label founded in 1982 by Kenny Gates and Michel Lambot, In September 2024, the company was acquired by Universal Music Group. Play It Again Sam expanded along with other European i ...
and were to release their first new album since reuniting. ''
The Conversation ''The Conversation'' is a 1974 American neo-noir mystery thriller film written, produced, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It stars Gene Hackman as a surveillance expert who faces a moral dilemma when his recordings reveal a potential ...
'' was released on 20 May 2013. Physical formats included a single disc and double-disc deluxe edition. The latter featured a bonus disc entitled ''Live in Scotland''. Also in 2013, a UK tour was announced and the album launched at two gigs, one at
King Tut's Wah Wah Hut King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, also known as King Tut's, is a live music venue and bar on St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland. It is owned and managed by Glasgow-based gig promoters DF Concerts. The Glasgow live music venue takes its name from ...
in Glasgow and the other at the
100 Club The 100 Club is a music venue located at 100 Oxford Street, London, England, where it has been hosting live music since 24 October 1942. It was originally called the Feldman Swing Club, but changed its name when the father of the current owner ...
in London. To celebrate the band's 25th anniversary, it was announced that some of their biggest hits would be re-recorded for a new album entitled ''Texas 25''. The collection features eight songs from the band's back catalogue completely reworked with the help of New York production team Truth & Soul, as well as four brand new songs, and was released on 16 February 2015. Deluxe packages include a second disc of the hits in their original form. The lead single, "Start a Family", premiered online on 6 January 2015. The band embarked on a UK tour throughout April and May 2015. The band released their ninth studio album, '' Jump on Board'' in May 2017 to critical acclaim, with "Let's Work it Out" serving as the lead single from the new album. ''Jump on Board'' performed well commercially in the band's native Scotland, debuting at number one on the Scottish Albums Chart. The album reached number one in France and performed well in the UK chart. In support of the album, the band embarked on the ''Jump on Board Live Tour'' world tour. On 28 February 2020, the band announced on Twitter that its next album was called ''Hi'', which was released on BMG on 28 May 2021. A single, also called "Hi", was released in December 2020 and reunited the band with the
Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop collective formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its members include RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and, until his death in 2004, O ...
after 22 years. A video was released for the song with '' Small Axe'' actor Kadeem Ramsay, a promo video that also includes footage of Texas, RZA and Method Man performing " Say What You Want" at the BRIT Awards in 1998. In April 2021, the second single from ''Hi'' was released. Called "Mr Haze", the track sampled the melody from " Love's Unkind" (a Giorgio Moroder production which was a Top 10 hit for
Donna Summer Donna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the "Queen of Disco", while her music ...
in the late 1970s) and was performed on ''The One Show'' on BBC One. ''Hi'' is the tenth album released by Texas and includes collaborations with Richard Hawley and Altered Images' Clare Grogan, the latter duetting with Spiteri on the song "Look What You've Done". In 2023, Texas released another career-spanning greatest hits collection, '' The Very Best of 1989–2023'', was released on 16 June 2023. On 8th June 2023 Texas recorded a video documentary in association with ARTE at the Chateau d'Herouville. On 23 June 2023, the band played the Pyramid Stage at
Glastonbury Festival The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts (commonly referred to as simply Glastonbury Festival, known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts held near Pilton, Somerset, England, in most su ...
, UK.


Artistry

Spiteri's musical influences include
the Clash The Clash were an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they are considered one of the most influential acts in the original wave of British punk rock, with their music fusing elements ...
(the main reason she plays a black
Fender Telecaster The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele (), is an electric guitar produced by Fender (company), Fender. Together with its sister model the Fender Esquire, Esquire, it was the world's first mass-produced, commercially successfulLes ...
), Blondie,
Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player an ...
and
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
. She is also a dedicated
Diana Ross Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...
fan. Spiteri has a large lesbian fanbase, although she is heterosexual. Since emerging as lead singer of Texas, she has since become known for her jet black, short hair, as well as her "strong contralto vocal range".


Filmography

Spiteri landed the part of a detective opposite
Edward Furlong Edward Walter Furlong (born August 2, 1977) is an American actor and former teen idol. He won Saturn and MTV Movie Awards for his breakthrough performance at age 13 as John Connor in James Cameron's 1991 science fiction action film '' Terminato ...
in the thriller ''3 Blind Mice'', but backed out due to pregnancy. She was also cast in ''
Moulin Rouge! ''Moulin Rouge!'' (, ) is a 2001 jukebox musical romantic drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. It follows an English poet, Christian, who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and courtesan ...
'' starring
Nicole Kidman Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an Australian and American actress and producer. Known for Nicole Kidman on screen and stage, her work in film and television productions across many genres, she has consistently ranked among the world ...
and
Ewan McGregor Ewan Gordon McGregor ( ; born 31 March 1971) is a Scottish actor. His accolades include a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2013, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to drama and ...
, but she told
Jonathan Ross Jonathan Stephen Ross (born 17 November 1960) is an English broadcaster, film critic, comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He presented the BBC One chat show '' Friday Night with Jonathan Ross'' during the 2000s and early 2010s, hosted his ow ...
on his show on 4 November 2005 that she declined because she did not want to move to Australia for a year. In 2011, she appeared in the French version of ''
The 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 ...
'' with Henri Padovani who was managing groups for the competition. In 2016, she appeared on the British programme ''
Top Gear Top Gear may refer to: * "Top gear", the highest gear available in a vehicle's manual transmission Television * ''Top Gear'' (1977 TV series), a British motoring magazine programme * ''Top Gear'' (2002 TV series), a relaunched version of the ori ...
'', along with
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and
Tinie Tempah Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu (born 7 November 1988), better known by his stage name Tinie (formerly Tinie Tempah), is a British rapper and singer. He has been signed to Parlophone since 2009, now a subsidiary of Warner Music Group. He created his ...
in a South African SUV challenge.


Personal life

Spiteri had a long-term relationship with the editor of ''
Arena An arena is a large enclosed venue, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, Music, musical performances or Sport, sporting events. It comprises a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for specta ...
'' magazine, Ashley Heath. The couple have a daughter, Misty Kyd (named after
Misty In cryptography, MISTY1 (or MISTY-1) is a block cipher designed in 1995 by Mitsuru Matsui and others for Mitsubishi Electric. MISTY1 is one of the selected algorithms in the European NESSIE project, and has been among the cryptographic tech ...
, referenced in the
Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...
film ''
Play Misty for Me ''Play Misty for Me'' is a 1971 American psychological thriller film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, his directorial debut. Jessica Walter and Donna Mills co-star. The screenplay, written by regular Eastwood collaborators Jo Heims and ...
,'' and
Wild West The American frontier, also known as the Old West, and popularly known as the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that bega ...
outlaw
Billy the Kid Henry McCarty (September 17 or November 23, 1859July 14, 1881), alias William H. Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid, was an American outlaw and gunfighter of the Old West who was linked to nine murders: four for which he was solely res ...
), born on 9 September 2002. The birth prompted her close friend
Thierry Henry Thierry Daniel Henry (; born 17 August 1977) is a French professional football coach, pundit, sports broadcaster and former player. He is considered one of the greatest players of all time and widely regarded as the greatest player in Premi ...
to dedicate a goal to her daughter by revealing the slogan "For the new born Kyd" beneath his shirt later that day. The couple separated in 2005. Spiteri married celebrity chef Bryn Williams in September 2018 at the 15th-century church of St. Tyrnog in Llandyrnog, North Wales. She wore a dress designed by her friend
Stella McCartney Stella Nina McCartney (born 13 September 1971) is an English fashion designer. She is a daughter of English singer-songwriter Paul McCartney and American photographer and animals rights activist Linda McCartney. Like her parents, McCartney is ...
. Despite being married to a chef, Spiteri does the cooking in their home, as she revealed on the ''Fuelling Around'' podcast in 2021. At
Hogmanay Hogmanay ( , ) is the Scots language, Scots word for the last day of the old year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. It is normally followed by further celebration on the morning of New Year's Day (1 ...
on 31 December 2022, she joined Dame
Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actors, she is noted for her versatility, having appeared in films and television, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage ...
in an impromptu performance of
Abba ABBA ( ) were a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They are one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time, and are one of the List ...
's "
Waterloo Waterloo most commonly refers to: * Battle of Waterloo, 1815 battle where Napoleon's French army was defeated by Anglo-allied and Prussian forces * Waterloo, Belgium Waterloo may also refer to: Other places Australia * Waterloo, New South Wale ...
" at the Fife Arms hotel in
Braemar Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around west of Aberdeen in the Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee, sitting at an elevation of . The Gaelic ''Bràigh Mhàrr'' p ...
, where they were both staying.


Political views

In the run-up to the
2014 Scottish independence referendum A independence referendum, referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom was held in Scotland on 18 September 2014. The referendum question was "Should Scotland be an independent country?", which voters answered with "Yes" or ...
, Spiteri expressed support for Scotland remaining in the Union, stating "As far as I'm concerned, I'm British. And, yeah, I'm Scottish but I feel I'm part of the UK." In September 2021, Texas announced that Spiteri and all her bandmates now supported Scottish independence after
Brexit Brexit (, a portmanteau of "Britain" and "Exit") was the Withdrawal from the European Union, withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). Brexit officially took place at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February ...
.


Other interests

In September 2021, Spiteri appeared on
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
's '' RHS Chelsea Flower Show'' to showcase her garden in
North Wales North Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdon ...
in which she grows produce for use in her husband's restaurant. She is a patron of children's cancer charity
Young Lives vs Cancer Young Lives vs Cancer, the operating name for "CLIC Sargent", is a charity in the United Kingdom formed in 2005. Young Lives vs Cancer is the 12th largest cancer charity in the UK with a focus on children, young people and their families. Its c ...
(formerly known as CLIC Sargent. She is also a supporter of
Arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
and is a season-ticket holder at the
Emirates Stadium The Emirates Stadium (known as Arsenal Stadium for UEFA competitions) is a association football, football stadium in Holloway, London, England. It has been the home stadium of Arsenal F.C., Arsenal Football Club since its completion in 2006. ...
. Spiteri is a car enthusiast.


Discography


As solo artist

* ''
Melody A melody (), also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combination of Pitch (music), pitch and rhythm, while more figurativel ...
'' (2008) * '' The Movie Songbook'' (2010)


with Texas

* '' Southside'' (1989) * '' Mothers Heaven'' (1991) * '' Ricks Road'' (1993) * '' White on Blonde'' (1997) * '' The Hush'' (1999) * '' Careful What You Wish For'' (2003) * '' Red Book'' (2005) * ''
The Conversation ''The Conversation'' is a 1974 American neo-noir mystery thriller film written, produced, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It stars Gene Hackman as a surveillance expert who faces a moral dilemma when his recordings reveal a potential ...
'' (2013) * ''
Texas 25 ''Texas 25'' is a compilation album by Scottish rock band Texas, released on 16 February 2015. The album was released to celebrate the band's 25th anniversary and features eight reworked Texas tracks along with four new songs. A 2-disc deluxe ed ...
'' (2015) * '' Jump on Board'' (2017) * '' Hi'' (2021)


References


External links

* – official website
Texas
– official website * *
Sharleen Spiteri
interview by Pete Lewis, ''Blues & Soul'' magazine, October 2008
Sharleen Spiteri
interview with ''Diva!'' magazine, covering Lesbian fanbase {{DEFAULTSORT:Spiteri, Sharleen 1967 births Living people British women rock singers Scottish contraltos Scottish people of Maltese descent Scottish rock singers 20th-century Scottish women singers Scottish people of Irish descent Scottish people of Italian descent Scottish people of German descent Scottish pop singers Scottish women singer-songwriters Scottish singer-songwriters Texas (band) members Scottish soul singers 21st-century Scottish women singers People from West Dunbartonshire People from North Lanarkshire