Cleo Higgins
{{short description|British R&B/soul/pop singer, dancer and songwriter}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{BLP sources|date=January 2011}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Cleo Higgins
| image =
| birth_name = Cleopatra Madonna Higgins
| alias = Cleopatra Higgins
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| origin = Manchester, England
| instrument =
| genre = {{hlist|R&B|pop|soul}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|dancer}}
| years_active = 1998–present
| current_member_of = Cleopatra
| website = {{URL|cleohiggins.com}}
}}
Cleopatra Madonna "Cleo" Higgins is a British R&B/soul/pop singer, dancer and songwriter based in Manchester, England. Higgins is the lead singer of the eponymously named sister girl group, Cleopatra.
Music career
=Early career=
In 2000, Higgins branched out from Cleopatra and recorded two duets with tenor Russell Watson. The first song, "Someone Like You", was featured on Watson's multi-platinum debut album The Voice, which climbed to No. 1 on the U.S. classical charts. Higgins and Watson performed the song both on tour and on the National Lottery and they collaborated a second time, recording another duet called "The Best That Love Can Be" for Watson's third album, Reprise.{{cn|date=February 2023}}
In 2001, Higgins headlined the Young Voices in Concert tour, performing at the Manchester Arena in front of 15,000 people as she and almost 7,000 choir members set a new Guinness World Record for the largest choir assembled in the UK.{{cite web | url=http://www.youngvoices.co.uk/previous-artists/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130326234031/http://www.youngvoices.co.uk/previous-artists/ | archive-date=26 March 2013 | title=Young Voices » Previous artists }} The performance was aired on the BBC's long-standing programme Songs of Praise. In 2002 Higgins participated in ITV1's Songs of Bond, a tribute to the songs of James Bond, where she covered "For Your Eyes Only".{{cn|date=February 2023}}
In 2007 Higgins released her pilot solo single, "Feelin' Like This".{{cn|date=February 2023}}
=2013: ''The Voice UK''=
In 2013, Higgins auditioned for The Voice UK and her Blind Audition was shown in April 2013. All of the coaches turned around and she chose Will.i.am's team. In the Battle round, Will.i.am kept Higgins over duo Nu-tarna. In the Knockout round Will.i.am then kept Higgins over both Lem and John. Higgins competed in the quarter-finals against both Leah and Leanne with Will.i.am giving Leah his fast pass while Higgins was voted through by the public.{{cn|date=February 2023}}
During the course of the show, there were rumours that Will.i.am did not enjoy working with her,{{cite news|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/william-disgusted-attitude-voice-finalist-1951729|title=Will.i.am 'disgusted' by attitude of The Voice finalist Cleo Higgins|newspaper=Mirror Online|accessdate=15 June 2013}} which were immediately rebutted by her.{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s154/the-voice-uk/news/a490412/the-voice-cleo-higgins-diva-lies-are-disgusting.html|title='The Voice' Cleo Higgins: 'Diva lies are disgusting'|publisher=Digital Spy|accessdate=16 June 2013}} Higgins was eliminated at the semi-final stage when she performed against Leah McFall for the public vote. Will.i.am used the opportunity to dispel rumours of a rift, telling Higgins live on television, "You are an amazing artist. I would love to work with you".{{cite news|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/tv/birminghams-cleo-higgins-axed-voice-4325752|title=Birmingham hopeful axed from The Voice|newspaper=Birmingham Mail|accessdate=16 June 2013}}
;Performances
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col"| Competition Stage
! scope="col"| Broadcast Date ! scope="col"| Song ! scope="col"| Original Artist ! scope="col"| Result |
|---|
| Blind Audition
| Saturday 13 April 2013 |"Love on Top" | Beyoncé | Joined Team Will |
| Battle Rounds
| Saturday 11 May 2013 | "Finally" (against Nu-Tarna) | Advanced |
| Knockout Rounds
| Saturday 1 June 2013 | "Leave Me Alone" | Advanced |
| Live Quarter Finals
| Friday 7 June 2013 | "Imagine" | Bottom two |
| Live Semi-finals
| Saturday 15 June 2013 | En Vogue | Eliminated |
=Tours and later performances =
Higgins has toured with Joe Budden, Russell Watson, Jagged Edge, Blue, and Girls Aloud, and covered Kym Sims' "Too Blind To See It".{{cn|date=February 2023}}
In February 2023 Higgins led "The Aretha Franklin Story", performed with other Night Owl Productions musicians and singers at the Regal Theatre, Adelaide, Australia, as part of the Adelaide Fringe.{{cite web | title=The Aretha Franklin Story, Kensington Park | website=Live Music | url=https://livemusic.net.au/event/17668503-a/the-aretha-franklin-story | access-date=23 February 2023}}
Other activities
Higgins has also worked as a brand ambassador for CoverGirl.{{cn|date=February 2023}}
Discography
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| UK Peak positions in the United Kingdom:
|
| 2007
! scope="row"| "Feelin' Like This" | — | rowspan="3"| Non-album singles |
| 2013
! scope="row"| "Imagine" | — |
| 2013
! scope="row"| "Don't Let Go (Love)" | 92 |
| colspan="18" style="font-size:85%"| "—" denotes release that did not chart or was not released. |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0383357}}
{{Cleopatra (group)|Cleopatra}}
{{The Voice UK}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Higgins, Cleo}}
Category:21st-century Black British women singers
Category:21st-century British women singers
Category:British contemporary R&B singers
Category:Musicians from Birmingham, West Midlands
Category:The Voice UK contestants
Category:English people of Sierra Leonean descent