Louise Redknapp facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Louise Redknapp
Redknapp at the BAFTA Awards 2009
Born	Louise Elizabeth Nurding (1974-11-04) 4 November 1974 (age 50) Lewisham, London, England
Other names	Louise
Alma mater	Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
Occupation	Singer media personality dancer actress television presenter
Spouse(s)	Jamie Redknapp ​ ​ (m. 1998; div. 2017)​
Children	2
Musical career
Genres	R&B pop hip hop dance-pop blue-eyed soul
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1992–present
Labels	EMI 1st Avenue Positive Records Warner

Louise Elizabeth Redknapp (born 4 November 1974), known professionally as Louise, is a talented English singer, dancer, and TV personality. She first became famous as a member of Eternal, an R&B girl group. Their first album, Always & Forever, was a huge success in 1993.

In 1995, Louise decided to start her own solo music career. Besides singing, she has also hosted many TV shows. She was even a judge on the UK version of So You Think You Can Dance. In 2016, Louise was a finalist on the popular BBC show Strictly Come Dancing. She also released a book about her life called You've Got This: And Other Things I Wish I Had Known in 2021.

Louise has released five studio albums: Naked (1996), Woman in Me (1997), Elbow Beach (2000), Heavy Love (2020), and Confessions (2025). Her Greatest Hits album came out in 2023. As of 2025, Louise has sold over 5 million records in the UK and 15 million records worldwide as a solo artist.

Early Life and Education

Louise Elizabeth Nurding was born in Lewisham, London. Her father was a builder, and her mother worked at Gatwick Airport. Louise and her two younger brothers grew up in Eltham, London, and Oxted, Surrey. She has shared that she grew up in a single-parent family with her mother.

When she was 11, Louise earned a scholarship to the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London. This is a famous school for performing arts. On her very first day there, she met Kéllé Bryan, who would later become her bandmate in Eternal.

Music Career Highlights

Starting Out with Eternal (1989–1995)

At 15, Louise met music manager Oliver Smallman. He was putting together an all-girl group. Louise then introduced him to Kéllé Bryan. In 1992, Louise and Kéllé, along with sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett, formed the R&B band Eternal.

The group quickly became popular in the 1990s. Their first song, "Stay", reached number four on the UK charts. Louise left Eternal in 1995 to start her solo career. She said she left because she was unhappy and missed home.

Solo Success: Naked and Woman in Me (1995–1997)

After leaving Eternal, Louise signed a record deal with EMI Records. She became known simply as "Louise." Her first solo song was "Light of My Life", which reached number eight in the UK. Her third single, "Naked", became a big hit, reaching number five.

Her first solo album, also called Naked, came out in 1996. It reached number seven on the UK Albums Chart and sold over 400,000 copies in the UK. Two more successful songs from the album were "Undivided Love" (UK No. 5) and "One Kiss from Heaven" (UK No. 9).

In 1997, Louise released "Arms Around the World", which reached number four in the UK. Her second album, Woman in Me, peaked at number five and sold over a million copies worldwide. To celebrate, Louise went on a big tour across the UK, performing at places like Wembley Arena. Another popular song from the album was "Let's Go Round Again".

Music Break and Return (2002–2024)

In 2002, Louise planned to release her fourth album, Lil' Lou. A song from it, "Pandora's Kiss/Don't Give Up", reached number five and helped raise money for charity. However, because Louise became pregnant, the album was not released at that time.

On 15 September 2023, Louise finally released the Lil' Lou extended play (EP). It included five songs that were originally meant for the unreleased album. The EP reached number 73 on the UK Albums Downloads Chart.

In August 2017, Louise shared on Instagram that she was working on new music. She announced her first live show in over 15 years for December 2017. Tickets sold out very quickly, so she added more shows in 2018. In 2018, she signed a deal with Warner/Chappell UK for new music.

On 10 November 2022, Louise released the song "Super Magic". She shared that she wanted to make music she truly loved. "Super Magic" was her first release with BMG.

On 12 January 2023, Louise announced her Greatest Hits collection. This album celebrates thirty years in music and includes five new songs. One of these is a cover of Janet Jackson's song "Together Again". In the same month, Louise was cast as Teen Angel in the 2023 musical Grease. Her Greatest Hits album was released on 2 June 2023.

New Album: Confessions (2025-Present)

On 13 February 2025, Louise released the single "Confession". She also announced her fifth studio album, Confessions, which came out in May 2025. This album reached number 8 on the UK Albums Chart, making it her first top 10 album since Woman in Me in 1997.

Television Career

Louise has presented many TV shows. These include SMTV Live, CD:UK, and This Morning. She also hosted three series of The Clothes Show for UKTV Style. In 2007, she presented a documentary called The Truth About Size Zero.

Louise has also been the face of several advertising campaigns. She worked with Boots for their "Safe and White" campaign and with Flora for their "Omega 3" products. In 2007, she became a brand ambassador for Orbit gum.

In 2009, Louise filmed a follow-up documentary, The Truth About Super Skinny Pregnancies. This show looked at the pressure on women to stay in shape during and after pregnancy. Later that year, she presented The Farmer Wants a Wife for Channel Five. In January 2010, Louise became a full-time presenter for the BBC show Something for the Weekend for two years.

Louise was a judge on the UK version of So You Think You Can Dance on BBC One. In 2011, she made her acting debut in the film The Hot Potato. She also had her own cosmetic range called Wild About Beauty, which she sold in 2017.

On 15 August 2016, Louise was announced as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing. She reached the finals in 2016 with her dance partner Kevin Clifton. In April 2018, Louise also tried radio, guest-presenting two evening shows on Heart radio.

In May 2021, Louise appeared on The Masked Dancer as Flamingo. She was the second celebrity to be unmasked. That same month, she appeared on the BBC game show I Can See Your Voice, performing her song "Let's Go Round Again".

Other Projects

In 2003, Louise started a magazine called Icon. It was for professional sports stars and celebrities. She created it with her former husband, Jamie Redknapp, and former footballer Tim Sherwood. They later sold the magazine.

Personal Life

Louise Nurding married football player Jamie Redknapp in Bermuda on 29 June 1998. They have two sons together. The couple separated in September 2017 and their divorce was finalized on 29 December 2017.

Charity Work

Louise has supported many charities. In 2003, her song "Pandora's Kiss/Don't Give Up" helped raise money for Breast Cancer Care's "Tickled Pink" campaign. She also took part in a celebrity edition of The Apprentice in 2008 to raise money for charity. In November 2009, Louise organized a charity sale of celebrity designer clothes at Selfridges department store in London for the charity Mothers4Children.

Discography

Studio Albums

Compilation Albums

Extended Plays

Singles

Promotional Singles

Tours

• Soft & Gentle No Sweat Tour (1997)
• Changing Faces Tour (2001)
• Louise Intimate and Live (2017/2018)
• Heavy Love Tour (2020)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Louise Redknapp para niños