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21 January 2022, 17:43
As the lead singer of Texas, Sharleen Spiteri is one of Scotland's most successful musicians ever.
Here's all the information you need to know about the Scottish star:
Sharleen Spiteri is the lead singer of Scottish pop-rock band Texas.
Formed in 1986, Texas have gone on to become one of the biggest groups to come out of Scotland, selling a total of 40 million albums worldwide.
They're most well known for albums Southside (1989) which featured the single 'I Don't Want a Lover', and White On Blonde (1996) which featured songs such as 'Black Eyed Boy' and 'Say What You Want'.
White On Blonde would go on to become the band's best-selling album, being certified platinum in the UK six times over. In 2010 the album was nominated for the 'Best Album in the Past 25 Years' by the BRIT Awards.
Spiteri is known for her strong contralto vocal range and jet black hair.
Aside from her work in Texas, Sharleen Spiteri also released two solo albums Melody (2008) and The Movie Songbook (2010) when the band were on hiatus from 2005-2013.
She is a dedicated philanthropist, and is a patron of children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent.
Sharleen Spiteri was born on 7th November 1967 in Bellshill, Scotland. She celebrated her 54th birthday in 2021.
She is of Maltese, Italian, Irish and German descent. Her father Eddie Spiteri was a guitar-playing merchant seaman and her mother Vilma was a singing window-dresser.
Spiteri came from a musical family, and herself showed great interest in music from a young age, claiming that music was her escape:
"I used to love going to the record shop on a Saturday and I'd buy a single and a plastic sleeve. I'd go back to my bedroom where Siouxsie Sioux was painted on my bedroom wall".
Her early influences came in the shape of The Clash, Blondie, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Diana Ross, and Siouxsie Sioux.
Up until Texas were signed to Mercury Records in 1988, Spiteri worked as a full-time hairdresser.
Their debut single 'I Don't Want A Lover' achieved international success, reaching No.8 in the UK charts and No.77 on the Billboard charts in the US.
They've gone on to release a total of ten studio albums over a 35-year career.
Texas - Say What You Want (Official Video)
- 'Say What You Want'
- 'Black Eyed Boy'
- 'Summer Son'
- 'I Don't Want A Lover'
- 'Put Your Arms Around Me'
- 'In Our Lifetime'
- 'Halo'
- 'Inner Smile'
- 'Getaway'
- 'In Demand'
Spiteri is married to celebrity chef Bryn Williams.
They wed in September 2018 at the 15th-century church of St. Tyrnog in Llandyrnog, North Wales.
She was in a long-term relationship with Ashley Heath, former editor of now-defunct men's magazine Arena.
Sharleen Spiteri has one daughter, Misty Kyd Heath with her former partner Ashley Heath.
She was born on 9th September 2002 and is currently 19 years of age.
Misty Kyd has appeared played a younger version of her mother in the music video for Texas' 2021 single 'Unbelievable'.
Texas - I Don't Want A Lover - TOTP - 1989
Sharleen Spiteri's estimated net worth is $15 million.
Texas - Black Eyed Boy (Official Video)
Spiteri is a keen gardener and supplies all of the fruit and vegetables for her husband's restaurant.
She almost dipped her toe into acting having won a role opposite Terminator 2: Judgment Day and American History X star Edward Furlong, but pulled out when she became pregnant.
She almost appeared in Moulin Rouge! alongside Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor too, but decided against it due to having to move to Australia to shoot the film.
Since Brexit, Spiteri who was once a Unionist declared her support for Scottish independence.