Katie Melua facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Katie Melua
Melua in 2017
Background information
Birth name	Ketevan Melua
Born	(1984-09-16) 16 September 1984 (age 40) Kutaisi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union
Origin	London, England
Genres	Blues folk-pop jazz easy listening
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter musician
Instruments	Vocals guitar piano
Years active	2000–present
Labels	Dramatico BMG

Ketevan "Katie" Melua (born 16 September 1984) is a British singer and songwriter. She was born in Kutaisi, Georgia, when it was part of the Soviet Union. Katie grew up in Belfast and London.

She signed with the Dramatico record label, managed by composer Mike Batt. Katie Melua made her first musical appearance in 2003. Within three years, she became the best-selling female artist in the United Kingdom. She was also Europe's top-selling European female artist.

In November 2003, Katie released her first album, Call Off the Search. It quickly reached the top of the UK album charts. It sold 1.8 million copies in its first five months. Her second album, Piece by Piece, came out in September 2005. It sold over a million copies, becoming a four-time platinum record. Her third album, Pictures, was released in October 2007.

Katie Melua has a beautiful singing voice, known as a mezzo-soprano.

Early Life and Moving to the UK

Ketevan Melua was born on 16 September 1984 in Kutaisi, Georgia. At that time, Georgia was part of the Soviet Union. She spent her early years with her grandparents in Tbilisi. Later, she moved with her parents and brother to Batumi. Her father worked there as a heart specialist. Katie remembers having to carry water up many stairs to their flat. She often thinks of those days when she stays in fancy hotels now.

In 1993, when Katie was eight, her family moved to Belfast, Northern Ireland. This was after a difficult time in Georgia. Her father, a heart surgeon, got a job at the Royal Victoria Hospital. The family lived near Falls Road in Belfast until Katie was 14. During this time, she went to St Catherine's Primary School and later Dominican College, Fortwilliam.

The Melua family then moved to Sutton, London. After some time, they moved again to Redhill, Surrey. In 2008, Katie moved into her own apartment in Notting Hill. She turned a spare room into a recording studio. Katie speaks English very well and some Russian. She can still speak her native Georgian fluently. However, she has said she cannot write songs in Georgian.

Katie was baptised into the Georgian Orthodox Church. After finishing her GCSEs at Nonsuch High School, Katie went to the BRIT School for Performing Arts. There, she studied music.

Becoming a British Citizen

On 10 August 2005, just before her 21st birthday, Katie Melua became a British citizen. Her parents and brother also became citizens. The ceremony happened in Weybridge, Surrey. This meant Katie had held three citizenships before she was 21: first Soviet, then Georgian, and now British.

After the ceremony, Katie said she was proud of her new nationality. She explained that her family was lucky to find a happy life in the UK. She feels they belong there. She added that they still see themselves as Georgian because of their roots. Katie visits Georgia every year to see her family. But she is also proud to be a British citizen.

Personal Life and Well-being

Katie Melua enjoys exciting activities like roller coasters and funfairs. She also likes paragliding and hang gliding. She has skydived four times and taken flying lessons. In 2004, she was lowered from a 200-meter building in New Zealand at 60 miles per hour. In November 2009, Katie almost drowned while diving in a lake.

In September 2010, doctors told Katie to take a break from work. She needed to rest for a few months and was in the hospital for six weeks. Because of this, her tours and other activities were put on hold. Years later, Katie shared that this experience helped her. She said it made her realize that being a successful musician didn't make her better than others. It was a "huge wake-up call."

In January 2012, Katie confirmed she was engaged to World Superbike racer and musician James Toseland. They married on 1 September 2012. In 2020, it was announced that they had separated and later divorced.

In August 2022, Katie announced she was expecting her first child. Her son, Sandro, was born in November. In March 2023, Katie said she shouldn't have to choose between her child and her career. She decided Sandro would join her on her European tour.

Katie's Music Career

Starting Out

After growing up in Georgia, which had political problems, Katie first thought about becoming a historian or a politician. But this changed in 2000. At 15, Katie took part in a TV talent show called "Stars Up Their Noses." She won the contest by singing "Without You" by Badfinger. Her prize was £350 in vouchers, which she used to buy a chair for her father.

BRIT School and Meeting Mike Batt

After her GCSEs, Katie went to the BRIT School for Performing Arts. There, she started writing songs. She also met Mike Batt, who would become her manager and producer.

Mike Batt saw Katie perform at a BRIT School event. He was looking for a singer who could sing "jazz and blues in an interesting way." After hearing Katie sing "Faraway Voice," he signed her to his company, Dramatico. Katie was 18 at the time. Mike Batt produced her first three albums, and later her fifth and sixth albums.

Working with William Orbit

For her fourth album, The House (2010), Katie worked with producer William Orbit. She said it was a very exciting experience, like skydiving for the first time. She wanted the music to feel new and inspired by the future. At the same time, she wanted to keep the good qualities of old music. Katie worked with Orbit again in 2022 on his album, The Painter.

Katie's Albums

Katie Melua at a signing event in 2004

Call off the Search (2003)

Katie's first album, Call Off the Search, came out on 3 November 2003. It included two songs Katie wrote herself. "Belfast (Penguins and Cats)" was about her time in Northern Ireland. "Faraway Voice" was about her idol, Eva Cassidy. The album also had covers of songs by other artists.

At first, it was hard to get her first single, "The Closest Thing to Crazy", played on the radio. But then a producer at BBC Radio 2 heard it. He played it on a popular breakfast show, and the song became very popular. This helped Katie a lot. When Call Off the Search was released, it entered the top 40 UK albums chart. After Katie appeared on a TV show, the album became number one in January 2004.

The album sold 1.9 million copies in the UK. It was a huge success, selling 3.6 million copies worldwide.

Piece by Piece (2005)

Katie's second album, Piece by Piece, was released on 26 September 2005. The first single was "Nine Million Bicycles", which reached number three in the UK singles chart. This album had four more songs written by Katie. It also included songs by Mike Batt and some classic covers.

The album went straight to number one on the UK Albums Chart. It became very popular across Europe, selling 1 million copies in Germany alone. Worldwide, it has sold over 3.5 million copies.

In 2005, some people discussed the lyrics of "Nine Million Bicycles." A scientist pointed out that some lines weren't scientifically accurate. Katie said she "should have known better" because she used to be in an astronomy club.

Another single from the album was "I Cried for You" and a cover of The Cure's "Just Like Heaven". "Just Like Heaven" was also in the movie Just Like Heaven.

Pictures (2007)

Katie Melua at Cambridge Corn Exchange during her 2006 UK tour

Katie's third album, Pictures, came out on 1 October 2007. This was planned to be her last album working closely with Mike Batt. Katie also worked with her friend Molly McQueen and Andrea McEwan on some songs. The album included a cover of "In My Secret Life" by Leonard Cohen. Katie said this song made her think about how people often follow others instead of their own ideals.

Katie released four singles from this album: "If You Were a Sailboat", "Mary Pickford", "If the Lights Go Out", and "Ghost Town". "Mary Pickford" was about the silent film star. "Ghost Town" was Katie's first song with a reggae sound.

The House (2010)

Katie's fourth album, The House, was released on 24 May 2010. For this album, she worked with songwriters like Lauren Christy and Guy Chambers. William Orbit was the producer.

Secret Symphony (2012)

Katie's fifth album, Secret Symphony, was released on 5 March 2012. It also did well on the UK album chart. Mike Batt produced and arranged this album. Katie said she wanted this to be her "singer's album." She enjoyed singing other people's songs, as it brought out different parts of her voice.

Ketevan (2013)

Katie Melua at Zelt-Musik-Festival 2016 in Freiburg, Germany

Katie's sixth album, Ketevan, was released on 16 September 2013. It was produced by Mike Batt and his son, Luke Batt. Both of them also wrote songs for the album with Katie. When Ketevan reached number 6 in the UK charts, Katie joined a small group of female artists. This group includes Madonna and Kate Bush, who have had six albums in a row reach the UK top 10.

In Winter (2016)

Katie Melua with the Gori Women's Choir, 2018

Katie's seventh album, In Winter, came out on 14 October 2016. For this album, Katie went back to her home country of Georgia. She recorded the album with the Gori Women's Choir, a Georgian all-female singing group. Katie shared that her work partnership with Mike Batt ended after her last album.

In 2017, she released a cover of "Fields of Gold". This was the official song for Children in Need, a charity event.

Album No. 8 (2020) & Aerial Objects (2022)

In June 2020, Katie supported the Georgian Red Cross Society. She performed a live charity concert to help people in Georgia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Katie released her eighth album, Album No. 8, on 16 October 2020. The first song from the album, "A Love like That," was played on BBC Radio 2. The music video for the song featured British actor Billy Howle.

In summer 2022, Katie announced a new album with sound engineer Simon Goff, called Aerial Objects. It was released on 15 July 2022. Katie also went on a 10-date concert tour in 2022. During this tour, she announced her first pregnancy.

Love & Money (2023)

In January 2023, Katie announced her new album Love & Money. It was released on 24 March 2023. Leo Abrahams, who worked on Album No. 8, produced this record too. Love & Money was recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios in summer 2022, when Katie was pregnant.

Katie went on a 27-date spring tour in Europe and the UK. This included a show at the Royal Albert Hall. The first song and video from the album, "Golden Record," came out on 12 January 2023. Katie said writing this song helped her accept changes in the music industry and be happy with her life at home.

In September 2023, Katie released a new version of her song "14 Windows." This was a charity single for the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund. Katie said the song was for a doctor who saved her life by helping her through a difficult mental health crisis. She was very sad to hear he had passed away.

In October 2023, it was announced that Katie would record a song called "End of Summer" for the movie The Peasants.

Other Work and Achievements

Acting and Modelling

Katie Melua appeared in a short part of the 2007 film Grindhouse. This part was a fake movie trailer. In 2009, Katie became the new face of the French cashmere designer, Éric Bompard.

World Record Holder

On 2 October 2006, Katie Melua set a new Guinness Book of Records record. She played the deepest underwater concert ever. It was 303 meters below sea level on a gas platform in the North Sea. Katie and her band had to pass many medical tests and training. Katie said it was "the most surreal gig I have ever done." A DVD called Concert Under the Sea was released in 2007 to remember this event.

Charity Work

In November 2004, Katie took part in Band Aid 20. She joined other singers to record "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to help people in Africa. In March 2005, Katie sang with Brian May at a 46664 concert for Nelson Mandela's HIV charity. Katie had loved Queen since she was a child, so singing with Brian May was a dream come true.

Later in 2005, Katie became a goodwill ambassador for Save the Children. She visited Sri Lanka to see how the charity helped children after the civil war and a big tsunami. In 2006, Katie gave all the money from her song "Spider's Web" to this charity.

On 7 July 2007, Katie performed at the Live Earth concert in Hamburg, Germany. In December that year, she released a cover of "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. She sang with a recording of Eva Cassidy. All the money from this song went to the Red Cross.

Katie has visited Oxfam charity shops for many years to buy her clothes. She supports the charity and also dislikes spending a lot of money on fancy clothes.

Katie supports Fair Trees, an organization that helps cone pickers in Georgia. These workers collect seeds from tall fir trees for Christmas tree nurseries in Europe. Before Fair Trees, they were paid very little and had no safety gear. Fair Trees helps them get fair pay and safety.

Katie also supports the Manx Cancer Help charity. This charity helps people with cancer on the Isle of Man.

Katie released a special version of her song "14 Windows" to support the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund. This charity helps doctors and medical students. All the money from the song goes to their work.

Musical Influences

Katie has said that the rock band Queen was a big influence on her when she was young. She remembers her uncles playing music by Queen and Led Zeppelin. She even performed with Queen at a concert in 2005.

In 2006, Katie spoke on a BBC show about why she thought Paul McCartney was a great living icon.

Discography

Studio Albums

• Call Off the Search (2003)
• Piece by Piece (2005)
• Pictures (2007)
• The House (2010)
• Secret Symphony (2012)
• Ketevan (2013)
• In Winter (2016)
• Album No. 8 (2020)
• Love & Money (2023)

Collaborative Albums

• Aerial Objects with Simon Goff (2022)

Songs in Movies

Acting Roles

Awards and Recognition

• Katie Melua was the best-selling UK female artist in 2004 and 2005.
• In 2006, a tulip flower was named after her.
• Her album Call Off the Search is the 87th best-selling British album ever.
• An asteroid, 25131, was named Katiemelua.

Images for kids

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  Melua in 2017

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  Melua at a signing in 2004

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  Melua at Cambridge Corn Exchange, part of her 2006 UK concert tour

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  Melua at Zelt-Musik-Festival 2016 in Freiburg, Germany

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  Melua with the Gori Women's Choir, 2018

See also

In Spanish: Katie Melua para niños