Alison Moyet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alison Moyet MBE
Moyet performing in Hanover, Germany, in 2011
Born	Geneviève Alison Jane Moyet (1961-06-18) 18 June 1961 (age 64) Basildon, Essex, England
Other names	Alf
Occupation	Singer songwriter
Years active	1981–present
Musical career
Genres	Synth-pop new wave R&B soul pop rock jazz
Labels	Cooking Vinyl Columbia Sanctuary W14 Music Sony Music Mute
Signature

Geneviève Alison Jane Ballard (born Moyet on 18 June 1961), also known as Alf, is an English singer. She is famous for her strong, bluesy voice. Alison first became well-known as part of the synth-pop duo Yazoo. After that, she mostly worked as a solo artist.

By June 2023, Alison Moyet had sold over 23 million albums worldwide. She also sold more than two million singles. All ten of her studio albums and three compilation albums reached the top 30 in the UK Albums Chart. Two of her albums even reached number one. She also had several songs in the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart.

Early Life and Education

Alison Moyet was born on 18 June 1961 in Basildon, Essex, England. Her father was French, and her mother was English. She grew up speaking a mix of French and English. Everyone called her Alison from a young age.

She went to Janet Duke Junior School in Basildon. Later, she attended Nicholas Comprehensive for secondary school. In her final year, she was in the same class as Depeche Mode members Andrew Fletcher and Martin Gore.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Alison was in several punk rock, pub rock, and blues bands. These included the Vandals, the Screamin' Ab Dabs, the Vicars, and the Little Roosters. After leaving school at 16, she worked in a shop. She also trained to tune pianos.

Music Career Highlights

Starting with Yazoo (1982-1983)

Alison Moyet's main pop career began in 1982. She formed the synth-pop duo Yazoo with Vince Clarke. Vince Clarke was a former member of Depeche Mode. In the United States, the band was called Yaz. This was because another record label named Yazoo Records already existed there.

Yazoo had many hit songs. These included "Only You", "Don't Go", "Situation", and "Nobody's Diary". They released two albums: Upstairs at Eric's and You and Me Both. In 1983, Vince Clarke decided to end Yazoo.

Solo Success and Alf (1984-1987)

After Yazoo, Alison Moyet signed with CBS. She started her solo career. In 1984, she released her first solo album, Alf. The album was named after her nickname from her punk days.

Alf was a big hit in Britain. It reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. The album had three international hit singles. These were "Love Resurrection" (UK No. 10), "Invisible" (UK No. 21), and "All Cried Out" (UK No. 8). In 1985, Alison performed at Live Aid. She sang with Paul Young and later joined other stars to sing "Let It Be".

She also released a cover of "That Ole Devil Called Love". This song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart. It is still her highest-charting UK single. In 1986, she had another hit with "Is This Love?". Her second album, Raindancing, came out in 1987. It included hits like "Weak in the Presence of Beauty" and "Ordinary Girl". She also had a hit with "Love Letters" that year.

Recordings and Break (1990s)

After some time, Alison released Hoodoo in 1991. The album sold well in the UK. She was nominated for a Grammy for her song "It Won't Be Long".

Her next album, Essex, came out in 1994. After this album, Alison had a long legal disagreement with her record label. Because of this, she did not release a new studio album for over eight years. During this time, she sang on songs for other artists. These included Tricky, Ocean Colour Scene, and The Lightning Seeds.

In 1995, she sang backup vocals for Dusty Springfield on the TV show Later...with Jools Holland.

Returning to Music (2000s)

In 2002, Alison Moyet signed with Sanctuary Records. She released Hometime, her first studio album in eight years. This album made her one of the top five best-selling female UK artists of 2002. She was nominated for a BRIT Awards for Best Female Vocalist. Hometime sold over 100,000 copies in the UK.

Her album Voice came out in 2004. It was a collection of cover versions of famous songs. This album reached number seven on the UK Albums Chart. In 2006, Alison signed with W14 Music. Her album The Turn was released in 2007. It included songs she wrote for a play called Smaller.

Moyet with Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra at the Apollo Theatre, Manchester, December 2010

In mid-2008, Alison reunited with Vince Clarke for a series of live shows as Yazoo. In 2009, Sony Music released The Best of Alison Moyet. This album was Alison's own choice of songs from her solo albums. She toured the UK and Ireland to support the album.

Recent Years (2010-Present)

In 2010, Alison sang on My Robot Friend's song "Waiting". She also performed with Jools Holland on his UK tour. In 2013, Alison signed a new deal with Cooking Vinyl. Her album The Minutes was released on 6 May 2013. It reached number 5 on the UK Albums Chart. This was her highest debut since Raindancing in 1987.

Moyet in the Gruenspan Hamburg, September 2013

In 2014, Alison released a live album called Minutes and Seconds – Live. In 2016, her first four studio albums were reissued as special Deluxe editions. Her ninth studio album, Other, came out on 16 June 2017. It was described as "intelligent, adventurous electronic pop." She went on a world tour called The Other Tour.

In October 2017, Alison sang on the Norwegian band A-Ha's acoustic album, MTV Unplugged – Summer Solstice. She sang "Summer Moved On". Her second live album, The Other Live Collection, was released in 2018.

Alison Moyet released the album Key on 4 October 2024. It reached number 8 in the UK Album Charts. This album has 16 re-recorded songs and two new tracks. In June 2024, she started a podcast called 40 Moyet Moments. In this podcast, she talks about important parts of her career. Alison is touring the world in 2025 to support her album Key.

Sales and Chart Success

As of June 2023, Alison Moyet's albums have sold 23 million copies worldwide. She has also sold over two million singles. All ten of her studio albums and three compilation albums have reached the top 30 in the UK Albums Chart. Her studio album Alf (1984) and compilation album Singles (1995) both reached number one. She has also had nine singles in the top 30 and six in the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart.

Theatre Performances

Alison Moyet made her stage debut in 2001. She played Matron "Mama" Morton in the London West End musical Chicago. The play was so popular that her role was extended to six months.

In 2006, she appeared in the play Smaller. This play toured different regions before playing at London's Lyric Theatre.

Personal Life and Achievements

Alison Moyet has three children. She has a son from her first marriage. She also has a daughter with a former partner and another daughter with her current husband, David Ballard. In 2013, she moved to Brighton.

Alison has openly discussed facing challenges like dyslexia and ADHD. On 14 October 2014, she received a Gold Badge Award from The Ivors Academy. This award honors professional music writers.

Alison Moyet was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2021. This honor was given for her contributions to music. She is also a supporter of the football club Southend United.

In 2023, at age 62, Alison received a degree in Fine Art Printmaking from the University of Brighton.

Discography

• Alf (1984)
• Raindancing (1987)
• Hoodoo (1991)
• Essex (1994)
• Hometime (2002)
• Voice (2004)
• The Turn (2007)
• The Minutes (2013)
• Other (2017)
• Key (2024)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Alison Moyet para niños