Heather Small facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Heather Small MBE
Small performing in Southport, 2008
Background information
Birth name	Heather Marguerita Small
Born	(1965-01-20) 20 January 1965 (age 60)
Origin	Ladbroke Grove, London, England
Genres	R&B dance house soul
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1986–present
Labels	BMG Arista P&C East West
Children	1 (James Small-Edwards)

Heather Marguerita Small is an English soul singer. She is best known as the lead singer of the band M People. Her first solo album, Proud, came out in 2000. She has released two more solo albums since then.

Early Life and Beginnings

Heather Small was born in London on January 20, 1965. Her parents moved to London from Barbados in the early 1960s. She grew up in Ladbroke Grove, West London. Heather was a shy child and kept her singing talent a secret from her family. When she was 18, she went to her first audition without telling anyone.

Music Career

Starting with Hot House and M People

Heather Small joined her first music group, Hot House, when she was a teenager. She also sang on a re-recorded version of the song "Ride on Time" by Black Box.

Later, she met DJ Mike Pickering in Manchester. This meeting led her to join the group M People. With M People, Heather sold over 10 million albums worldwide. They had many hit songs like "Moving On Up", "One Night in Heaven", and "Search for the Hero".

In 1997, Heather sang in "Perfect Day". This song was a charity release for Children in Need. Many famous artists, including Tom Jones, also sang on it. The song sold over a million copies and was the number one song in the UK for three weeks.

After releasing The Best of M People in 1998, Heather and M People took a break to work on their own projects.

The Success of Proud

In 2000, Heather Small released her first solo album, also called Proud. The song "Proud" became very famous. It was used by the British Olympic team. The song was also featured in the TV show Queer as Folk.

"Proud" became Heather's most famous song. Oprah Winfrey chose it as the theme song for The Oprah Winfrey Show. In 2005, Heather performed "Proud" on Oprah's show, which was her first time on American TV. Later that year, "Proud" also became the theme song for the American weight-loss show The Biggest Loser.

Heather took some time off to care for her newborn son. She also appeared on TV shows like Parkinson. She sang at the Tsunami Relief Concert in Cardiff in 2005.

In 2005, M People released another collection of their greatest hits, Ultimate Collection. This album included some of Heather's solo songs. "Proud" was re-released from this album and reached number 33 on the UK charts. M People also reunited for an arena tour in 2005 and have performed together a few times each year since.

Later Music and Performances

Heather released her second solo album, Close to a Miracle, in 2006. She also released singles like "Radio On" and "Close to a Miracle".

In 2007, Heather worked with Icelandic singer Garðar Thór Cortes on a song called "Luna". She also performed at a concert in London to celebrate 200 years since the end of the slave trade.

In 2008, Heather performed at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff to celebrate Wales's success in rugby. She also performed at Ronnie Scott's and headlined at Manchester Pride.

On August 24, 2008, she sang "Proud" at the Visa London 2012 Party. This event celebrated London becoming the host city for the 2012 Olympic Games. "Proud" was the unofficial song for Team GB at the Athens Games in 2004 and the official song for the London 2012 Games.

Strictly Come Dancing

In 2008, Heather Small was a contestant on the TV show Strictly Come Dancing. She danced with professional dancer Brian Fortuna. They finished ninth in the competition.

Recent Years

Heather Small at the Cambridge Big Weekend 2022

From late 2008 into 2009, Heather toured the UK. She sang her solo songs, M People hits, and some jazz covers. In 2010, she joined the "Here Come the Girls" tour with Anastacia and Lulu. She also received a BASCA Gold Badge Award for her contributions to music.

In 2011, Heather performed at London's Twickenham Stadium. She sang "Proud" and "Search for The Hero" with 546 students dancing behind her. This set a Guinness World Record for the "World's Biggest ever Backing Dance Troupe for a Popstar".

In 2012, Heather sang "Proud" at the Pride of Britain Awards. It was a tribute to the athletes of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

In 2017, Heather took part in the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage for the BBC. She said the trip made her faith stronger.

In 2018, Heather celebrated 25 years of singing with a UK tour. She performed her own music and M People's songs. She also released a new album called Colour My Life in 2022.

In January 2022, Heather appeared on the TV show The Masked Singer in the UK. She was disguised as "Chandelier" and was the first singer to be unmasked.

Charity Work

Heather Small supports many charities. These include BeatBullying, the Aiden Cox Foundation, and Mencap. She also works with "Show Racism The Red Card" and Barnardo's. Heather is an ambassador for Asthma UK, as she had asthma as a child. She also supports the Rio Ferdinand Foundation and Greenhouse Sports.

Personal Life

Heather Small lives in West London. In the 1990s, she had a long relationship with rugby player Shaun Edwards. They have a son named James Small-Edwards, who is now a politician. In 2012, Heather married lawyer David Neita.

In 2024, Heather Small was given an award called Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This award recognized her volunteer and charity work.

Discography

Albums

Singles