Nik Kershaw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nik Kershaw
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Kershaw performing in 2024
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Nicholas David Kershaw |
| Born | 1 March 1958 Bristol, Gloucestershire, England |
| Origin | Ipswich, Suffolk, England |
| Genres | Progressive pop |
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| Years active | 1973–present |
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Nicholas David Kershaw (born 1 March 1958), known as Nik Kershaw, is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He became very popular in 1984 as a solo artist. During the 1980s, he had eight songs that reached the top 40 in the UK Singles Chart. These hits included "Wouldn't It Be Good", "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", and "The Riddle". In 1984 and 1985, he spent 62 weeks on the UK Singles Chart. This was more than any other solo artist at the time.
Kershaw performed at the huge Live Aid concert in 1985. He has also written many hit songs for other artists. One of his songs, "The One and Only", became a UK No. 1 hit for Chesney Hawkes in 1991.
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Early Life and Music Beginnings
Nicholas "Nik" Kershaw was born in Bristol, England, on 1 March 1958. He grew up in Ipswich, Suffolk. His father played the flute, and his mother was an opera singer. Nik learned to play the guitar by himself. He went to Northgate Grammar School for Boys.
After leaving school, he worked at an unemployment office. He also sang in local bands in Ipswich. In 1982, his last band, Fusion, broke up. Nik then decided to become a full-time solo musician and songwriter.
Nik Kershaw's Music Career
Becoming a Star in the 1980s
After his band Fusion ended, Nik Kershaw was unemployed for a year. During this time, he found a manager named Mickey Modern. Mickey helped Nik get a recording contract with MCA. In September 1983, Nik released his first song, "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". It reached No. 47 in the UK. The song became a big hit in countries like Sweden, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
In early 1984, Kershaw released "Wouldn't It Be Good". This song became a huge success, reaching No. 4 in the UK. It was also popular across Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The music video for the song showed Nik as an alien. It was played a lot on MTV, which helped the song become known in the United States. His first album, Human Racing, had three more top 20 hits. A re-release of "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" became his biggest hit, reaching No. 2 in the UK.
Kershaw's second album, The Riddle, came out in 1984. The song "The Riddle" was his third international hit. It reached No. 3 in the UK and Ireland. The album also had two more top 10 hits in the UK: "Wide Boy" and "Don Quixote". The album sold many copies. Nik toured a lot with his band, the Krew, during this time.
In July 1985, Nik Kershaw performed at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium. He said it was "absolutely terrifying." Live Aid was a high point in his career. After this, his popularity started to slow down. He had only one more UK top 40 hit, "When a Heart Beats". He also played guitar on Elton John's hit song, "Nikita".
In 1986, his third album, Radio Musicola, was released. Critics liked it, but it did not sell very well. His album The Works came out in 1989, but it also had little success.
Songwriting Success in the 1990s
Nik Kershaw became very successful as a songwriter in 1991. His song "The One and Only" was featured in the British film Buddy's Song. It was also in the American film Doc Hollywood. "The One and Only" became a No. 1 hit in the UK for Chesney Hawkes, who starred in Buddy's Song.
In 1991, Nik worked with Tony Banks, the keyboard player from Genesis. Nik co-wrote and sang on two songs for Banks' album Still.
In 1993, the Hollies had a small hit with another of Kershaw's songs, "The Woman I Love". He also wrote and produced music for the boy band Let Loose. In 1993, Kershaw worked with Elton John again on his album Duets. Kershaw wrote the song "Old Friend" and played all the instruments on it.
In 1999, Nik released his fifth album, 15 Minutes. He decided to record the songs himself. The album had two singles, "Somebody Loves You" and "What Do You Think of It So Far?".
Music from 2000 to Today
Nik Kershaw's album To Be Frank was released in 2001. Over the years, he has worked with many artists. These include Elton John, Bonnie Tyler, Sia, and Gary Barlow.
In 2005, Kershaw released Then and Now. This album was a collection of his older songs with four new ones. In 2006, he released another album, You've Got to Laugh. This album was sold only on his website or digitally.
Kershaw performed at music festivals in 2009, like Fairport's Cropredy Convention. In 2010, he hosted a concert for Mencap, a charity. He performed some of his hit songs. He also wrote songs for the 2010 film Round Ireland with a Fridge.
His eighth album, Ei8ht, came out in 2012. It was his first album to reach the UK Albums Chart since 1986. He toured the UK and Europe to support the album. He played his first album, Human Racing, in full during these shows.
In 2012, Kershaw sang on a new version of "The Lamia" with Steve Hackett from Genesis. He continues to perform at 1980s music events and festivals. In late 2015, he toured the UK with Go West.
In June 2020, Kershaw released an extended play (EP) called These Little Things. His most recent album, Oxymoron, was released in October 2020. It has 16 songs and was recorded at Abbey Road Studios.
In 2024, Kershaw toured Australia and New Zealand with Go West. Later in 2024, he started a 40th Anniversary Tour. On this tour, called 'The 1984 Tour', he performed his classic albums Human Racing and The Riddle completely.
Personal Life
Nik Kershaw's first wife was Sheri Pogmore, a musician from Canada. They married in 1983 and had three children. They divorced in 2003. Their second son was born with Down syndrome. Nik married his second wife, Sarah, in 2009, and they also have a child together.
In 2019, Nik Kershaw received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Suffolk. This was for his important contributions to the music industry.
Studio Albums
- Human Racing (1984)
- The Riddle (1984)
- Radio Musicola (1986)
- The Works (1989)
- 15 Minutes (1998)
- To Be Frank (2001)
- You've Got to Laugh (2006)
- Ei8ht (2012)
- Oxymoron (2020)
Collaborations with Other Artists
Nik Kershaw has worked with many other musicians throughout his career.
- In 1985, he played electric guitar and sang backing vocals on Elton John's song "Nikita".
- In 1991, he co-wrote and sang on songs for Tony Banks' album Still.
- In 1993, he wrote the song "Old Friend" for Elton John's album Duets. Nik played all the instruments on this track.
- He co-wrote and produced songs for the band Let Loose in 1994.
- In 2010, he sang a duet with Kim Wilde on her album Come Out and Play.
- In 2012, he was the lead singer on "The Lamia" for Steve Hackett's album Genesis Revisited 2.
See also
In Spanish: Nik Kershaw para niños
