Annie Lennox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Annie Lennox
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Lennox in 2023
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Ann Lennox
25 December 1954 Aberdeen, Scotland
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| Education | Royal Academy of Music |
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| Years active | 1976–present |
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| Relatives | Richard E. Besser (brother-in-law) |
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Ann Lennox (born 25 December 1954) is a famous Scottish singer, songwriter, and activist. She first became known in the late 1970s with the band the Tourists. Later, she and Dave Stewart formed the hugely successful duo Eurythmics in the 1980s.
Annie Lennox was known for her unique style. In the "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" music video, she had short orange hair and wore a man's suit. This look was very striking and different. Eurythmics had many hit songs like "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" and "Here Comes the Rain Again".
In 1992, Annie Lennox started her solo career. Her first album, Diva, was a big hit with songs like "Why" and "Walking on Broken Glass". She has won many awards, including eight Brit Awards (six times as Best British Female Artist), four Grammy Awards, and an Academy Award for her song "Into the West" from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
Beyond music, Annie Lennox is a dedicated activist. She works to raise money and awareness for people affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. She also started a charity called The Circle to help women around the world. In 2011, she received an OBE from Queen Elizabeth II for her charity work.
Contents
- Early Life and Education
- Music Career Highlights
- Starting with Bands (1976–1990)
- Solo Success with Diva (1992–1993)
- Medusa and Eurythmics Reunion (1995–2000)
- Bare and Film Success (2003–2007)
- Activism and Songs of Mass Destruction (2007–2008)
- The Annie Lennox Collection (2008–2009)
- Christmas Album and Olympics (2010–2013)
- Nostalgia and Recent Work (2014–Present)
- Music Videos
- Personal Life
- Discography
- Awards and Recognition
- Images for kids
- See Also
Early Life and Education
Annie Lennox was born on Christmas Day in 1954 in Aberdeen, Scotland. Her parents were Dorothy Farquharson and Thomas Allison Lennox.
In the 1970s, Annie went to the Royal Academy of Music in London. She studied the flute, piano, and harpsichord for three years. During this time, she worked part-time jobs to support herself. She sometimes felt unsure about her musical talent compared to other students.
Her flute teacher noted that Annie was "very, very able." After leaving the academy, Annie worked as a waitress and shop assistant. She also sang and played with a few bands. In 2006, she was made an honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music.
Music Career Highlights
Starting with Bands (1976–1990)
In 1976, Annie Lennox played the flute in a band called Dragon's Playground. From 1977 to 1980, she was the lead singer of the Tourists, a British pop band. This was her first time working with Dave Stewart.
Annie and Dave then formed Eurythmics in the 1980s. This synth-pop duo brought Annie her greatest fame. She was the lead singer, known for her powerful voice and unique style. Early on, she often wore suits and dressed in a way that blended male and female fashion.
Eurythmics released many hit songs in the 1980s. These included "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (a number one hit in the U.S.), "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" (a UK number one), "Love Is A Stranger", and "Here Comes the Rain Again". They also had hits like "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" and "Would I Lie to You?". Eurythmics never officially broke up, but Annie started her solo career in 1990.
Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart reunited Eurythmics in the late 1990s. They released the album Peace, their first new music in ten years. They also went on a concert tour, and the money they earned went to charities like Greenpeace and Amnesty International.
Solo Success with Diva (1992–1993)
Annie Lennox started her solo career with the album Diva in 1992. It was a huge success, reaching number one in the UK. The album sold millions of copies worldwide.
Diva featured popular songs like "Why" and "Walking on Broken Glass". The music video for "Walking on Broken Glass" was set in an old-fashioned time and featured actors Hugh Laurie and John Malkovich. Another song, "Little Bird", was released with "Love Song for a Vampire", which was from the movie Bram Stoker's Dracula. Diva won the Best British Album award at the 1993 Brit Awards.
Medusa and Eurythmics Reunion (1995–2000)
Annie Lennox released her second solo album, Medusa, in 1995. This album was special because it only had cover songs. These were songs originally sung by male artists like Bob Marley and Neil Young. The album was very popular, reaching number one in the UK.
One of the singles from Medusa was ""No More 'I Love You's'"", which reached number two in the UK. Annie won a Grammy Award for this song. Even though she didn't tour for the album, she did a big concert in New York's Central Park.
In 1998, Annie reunited with Dave Stewart after a friend passed away. They started writing and recording music together again, leading to the Eurythmics album Peace. The album's name showed their concern for world peace. The song "I Saved the World Today" was a hit from this album. In 2002, Annie Lennox received the Billboard Century Award, a top honor from Billboard magazine.
Bare and Film Success (2003–2007)
In 2003, Annie Lennox released her third solo album, Bare. It was a success, reaching high positions on the music charts in the UK and US. She went on her first solo tour to promote the album.
In 2004, Annie won an Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Song. This was for "Into the West" from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. She wrote the song with Fran Walsh and Howard Shore. She performed the song live at the Oscar ceremony. The song also won a Grammy Award and a Golden Globe Award. In 2005, Annie performed at Live 8 in London, a big concert to raise awareness about poverty.
Later in 2005, Annie and Dave Stewart worked together again on two new songs for a Eurythmics album called Ultimate Collection. One of these songs, "I've Got a Life", became a number-one dance hit in the US.
Activism and Songs of Mass Destruction (2007–2008)
Annie Lennox's fourth solo album, Songs of Mass Destruction, came out in 2007. She said the album had "twelve strong, powerful, really emotive songs." She described it as a "dark album" because she felt the world was a "dark place."
A special song on the album was "Sing". Annie collaborated with 23 other famous female artists on this song, including Madonna, Shakira, and Pink. They recorded "Sing" to raise money and awareness for the HIV/AIDS organization Treatment Action Campaign. Annie was inspired by a vocal group of activists called The Generics. To promote the album, Annie went on a tour called Annie Lennox Sings.
The Annie Lennox Collection (2008–2009)
In 2009, Annie Lennox released The Annie Lennox Collection, which was a collection of her best solo songs. It also included two new songs: a cover of "Shining Light" by the band Ash, and a cover of Keane's song "Pattern of My Life". The album was very popular, reaching number two in the UK.
Christmas Album and Olympics (2010–2013)
In 2010, Annie Lennox signed a new record deal. Her first release was a Christmas album called A Christmas Cornucopia. It featured her versions of traditional Christmas songs like "Silent Night" and "The First Noel". It also had a new song she wrote called "Universal Child". Critics generally liked the album.
Annie performed at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert in front of Buckingham Palace in London in 2012. Later that year, she sang "Little Bird" at the 2012 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony in London.
Nostalgia and Recent Work (2014–Present)
In 2014, Annie Lennox released her sixth solo album, Nostalgia. This album was a collection of her favorite soul, jazz, and blues songs from her childhood. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award. In 2015, she performed a live concert called An Evening of Nostalgia with Annie Lennox, which was also released on DVD.
In 2019, Annie Lennox released an EP (a shorter album) called Lepidoptera. It has four piano songs that she made up on the spot. This album goes along with an art show she created.
Music Videos
Annie Lennox has made over 60 music videos throughout her career, both with Eurythmics and as a solo artist. The Eurythmics album Savage and her solo album Diva both had special video albums that went with them. These videos were directed by Sophie Muller.
The music video for "Missionary Man" used cool stop-motion animation. The video for "Walking on Broken Glass" featured actors Hugh Laurie and John Malkovich in old-fashioned costumes. The video for "Little Bird" was very creative. It showed Annie performing on stage with many lookalikes who represented her different styles and characters from her past music videos.
Personal Life
Annie Lennox has been married three times. Before forming Eurythmics, she was in a relationship with Dave Stewart for three years.
Her first marriage was to Radha Raman from 1984 to 1985. From 1988 to 2000, she was married to Israeli film producer Uri Fruchtmann. They had two daughters, Lola and Tali. Sadly, their son Daniel was stillborn in 1988.
In 2009, while doing charity work, Annie met Mitch Besser. He had started an AIDS charity in Africa. Annie and Mitch married on 15 September 2012, in London.
In 2012, Annie Lennox appeared on the TV show Who Do You Think You Are?. She learned that her great-great-grandmother worked in a flax mill in Aberdeen. Her maternal grandmother was a dairy maid, and her maternal grandfather was a gamekeeper at the Balmoral Royal Estate.
Both of Annie's parents passed away from cancer. Annie is a feminist, meaning she believes in equal rights for women. She became a vegetarian at age 29. In 2010, it was estimated that Annie Lennox had a fortune of £30 million.
Discography
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Awards and Recognition
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Annie Lennox has received many honors throughout her career. VH1 called her "The Greatest White Soul Singer Alive." Rolling Stone magazine named her one of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. In 2013, the Official Charts Company said she was "the most successful female British artist in UK music history." By 2008, including her work with Eurythmics, Annie Lennox had sold over 80 million records worldwide.
She has won eight Brit Awards, including being named Best British Female Artist a record six times. She has also won four Grammy Awards and an MTV Video Music Award. In 2004, she won a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for her song "Into the West" from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
As a member of Eurythmics, Annie Lennox also received many awards. These include the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist in 1984 and a Grammy Award in 1987. Eurythmics was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
Images for kids
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Lennox in 2023
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Lennox in the mid-1980s
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Lennox (right) and David A. Stewart (left) performing as Eurythmics in 1987
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Lennox performing with Eurythmics on The Today Show during their 2005 reunion
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After releasing "Sing" with 23 other invited singers, Lennox launched the SING campaign in 2007
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Lennox performing live in Vienna during the SING campaign, 2010
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Lennox at the 2024 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize ceremony
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See Also
In Spanish: Annie Lennox para niños
