Original Cover Art for the Black Mans Burdon by Eric Burdon and War

American musician, extra

Katrina Leskanich
Leskanich performing in 1986 at a concert
Background data
Nascence name	Katrina Elizabeth Leskanich[1]
Born	(1960-04-x) April 10, 1960 (age 62) Topeka, Kansas, The states
Origin	United States
Genres	New wave, popular rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, rhythm guitarist, actress, author
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years agile	1981–present
Labels	Capitol, UMG, Virgin, Warner Bros., BMG, EMI, Katsweb
Associated acts	Katrina and the Waves
Website	katrinasweb.com

Musical artist

Katrina Elizabeth Leskanich ( leh-SKAH-nitch;^[ii] born April 10, 1960) is an American musician and the quondam lead singer of British-American pop rock band Katrina and the Waves. Their song "Walking on Sunshine" was an international hit in 1985. In 1997, the band won the Eurovision Vocal Contest for the United kingdom with the song "Beloved Shine a Lite".

She is married to Sher Harper with whom she entered into a ceremonious union in 2008 in England.^[three]

Early life [edit]

Leskanich was built-in in Topeka, Kansas. Her father was a colonel in the United States Air Strength and Vietnam veteran of Serbian descent,^[4] and Katrina and her five siblings (4 sisters and one brother) moved oftentimes as children. The family arrived in the United Kingdom in 1976.^[5] She graduated from RAF Lakenheath high school in 1978.^[half-dozen]

Early career [edit]

Mama'south Cookin', a popular embrace band hailing from Feltwell, Norfolk, England, was founded in 1978. It featured Leskanich on vocals and keyboards, her then-boyfriend (and fellow American) Vince de la Cruz on vocals and lead guitar, and Marcos de la Cruz on drums. By tardily 1980, Alex Cooper had joined the band on drums, with Bob Jakins on bass. Mama's Cookin' proceeded to gig steadily in England over the adjacent two years, specialising in covers of songs by American acts.

In 1981, singer/songwriter/guitarist Kimberley Rew joined Mama's Cookin', and the five-piece group was rapidly renamed The Waves later on a band Rew and Cooper had been in together in the mid-1970s. The Waves were initially fronted by Rew. Yet, over the kickoff year of the Waves' beingness, Rew began to write material for Leskanich to sing, and she was soon the main vocalist. The Waves made their initial recorded appearances on a 1982 single ("Nightmare"/"Hey, War Pig!"); both tracks were included on the 1982 Rew solo album called The Bible of Bop. The Waves so issued their debut EP, Shock Horror!, later in 1982. Around this fourth dimension, bassist Jakins left the band. He was not replaced, equally de la Cruz took over on bass and the band was rechristened Katrina and the Waves.

Katrina and the Waves [edit]

Early Canadian success (1983–84) [edit]

In early 1983, the fledgling band recorded—at their ain expense—an LP of their original material designed to be sold at gigs. Rew wrote all the songs on this LP, while Leskanich sang 8 of the album's x tracks.

The LP was shopped around to various labels, but simply Attic Records in Canada responded with an offer.^[7] Consequently, although they were based in England, Katrina and The Waves' first album Walking on Sunshine was released just in Canada.

The anthology garnered plenty disquisitional attending and radio play to merit a Canadian tour. In 1984, the group released a follow-up album in Canada (Katrina and the Waves 2), with Leskanich now handling all the atomic number 82 vocals. Also in 1984, their song "Going Down to Liverpool" was covered by The Bangles, which added to their contour. With the grouping edifice a fan base with their recordings and all-encompassing touring, major label interest began to build, and Katrina and the Waves signed an international bargain with Capitol Records in 1985.

"Walking on Sunshine" and international success (1985–89) [edit]

The band re-recorded, remixed, or overdubbed 10 songs from their earlier Canadian releases to create their self-titled international debut album in 1985.

The Katrina and the Waves anthology was a substantial critical and commercial success, and the group had a worldwide hit with the song "Walking on Sunshine," (No. 9 US, No. 8 UK, a completely re-recorded, and essentially rearranged version of the song when compared to its initial 1983 Canada-merely release). A Grammy award nomination for "All-time New Creative person" followed, equally did abiding touring, both of which helped to spur sales of new releases. A follow-up single to "Walking on Sunshine" called "Practice Yous Want Crying" (written by de la Cruz) also became a superlative twoscore US hit, reaching No. 37 in the late summer of 1985.

The ring's follow-upwardly album, entitled Waves, did not meet with the same measure of success equally the offset album. The anthology did spin off a minor U.k. and US hit in the form of the Rew-penned "Is That It?" (No. 70 United states of america, No. 82 UK). "Sun Street" (a de la Cruz composition) was a UK Tiptop 30 hit in 1986. However, Capitol dropped the band after the Waves album failed to meet expectations. The band later recorded a 1989 album for Capitol-distributed SBK Records called Break of Hearts, a harder, more rock-oriented effort than their previous releases. The album included "That'southward the Way", which reached No. sixteen in the US.

Downturn, comeback, and breakup (1990–97) [edit]

Throughout the 1990s, Katrina and the Waves recorded fairly steadily, though most releases were available simply in continental Europe and/or Canada. They besides recorded the song "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" with Eric Burdon for the TV serial China Beach in 1990.

On May iii, 1997, later having somewhat faded into obscurity, the band won the Eurovision Song Contest 1997 for the U.k. with "Love Shine a Light". Reacting to the win, Leskanich said it was the second landslide victory in a calendar week; the song won by a record points margin, and Tony Blair had won the 1997 British general election 2 days previously. The song won by a then-record margin of lxx points over the Irish runner-up.^[8] The song went to No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart (becoming the band's biggest-ever hit)^[nine] and Katrina and The Waves performed an unprecedented four weeks running on the BBC One Television set show Acme of the Pops.

Katrina and the Waves broke upwards in 1999.^[10]

"Walking on Sunshine" has been used in many advertisements and films, including:

• Ask Max (1986) Disney motion picture
• Secret of My Success (1987) Michael J Fob - walking on the treadmill
• Look Who's Talking (1989) danced to on-screen past John Travolta
• High Fidelity (2000) danced to by Jack Black
• American Psycho (2000) with Christian Bale – to tone down a nighttime event
• Daddy Day Care (2003) Eddie Murphy – opening sequence
• Walking on Sunshine (2014) Leona Lewis in musical featuring upbeat 1980s songs

Katrina and The Waves' song covers include:

• Bangles "Going Down to Liverpool" (1984)
• Dolly Parton "Walking on Sunshine" on her Treasures album (1996)
• Celine Dion "That's Merely The Adult female in Me" (2008)
• Glee cast brew up of "Walking on Sunshine" and Beyonce "Halo" (2010)
• "Walking on Sunshine" has besides been featured several times on American Idol, X Gene and The Voice.

Solo career [edit]

After the Waves broke upward in 1999, Leskanich launched a solo career. She released her first solo CD, Katrina Leskanich, through Universal Records in United kingdom in 2005.

In Feb 2005, Laskanich participated in the Melodifestivalen 2005 which is the pre-selection for Sweden'due south Eurovision Song Contest entry. She did a duet with the band 'The Nameless' in the 4th semi last. Their vocal 'Every bit If Tomorrow Will Never Come up' came 3rd in the semi terminal, progressing to the Second Chance round where they came 6th and did not qualify for the final.^[11]

In 2005, Leskanich reflected on sharing her proper noun with a hurricane that devastated the U.S. Gulf Coast in tardily August and early on September of that year, after the name "Katrina and the Waves" appeared on numerous news telly shows, headlines, and blog postings that were covering her namesake hurricane. When a New York Times reporter contacted her near this, she said: "The offset time I opened the newspaper and saw 'Katrina kills ix,' it was a bit of a shock. ... I hope that the true spirit of 'Walking on Sunshine' volition prevail. I would hate for the title to be tinged with sadness, and I volition accept to do my ain function to help plow that around."^[12] She also stated that she hoped that "Walking on Sunshine" would become an canticle for the Gulf Coast's recovery.^[13]

To gloat the 25th Ceremony of "Walking on Sunshine", Leskanich released her outset alive album The Alive Album, in July 2010. The album includes both a live version and a dejection version of "Walking on Sunshine". "I have performed 'Walking on Sunshine' for and then many years in so many dissimilar countries that it's go the one abiding in my life and the one affair I can count on to bring happiness to myself and others," said Leskanich.

In September 2010, Leskanich re-released her solo anthology Turn The Tide with a couple of bonus tracks – the lodge mix of "They Don't Know" and the Espirito mix of "Walking on Sunshine". In May 2011, Leskanich released an EP entitled Spiritualize. "In 1999 I wrote, nerveless and compiled some songs I thought would come together for an uplifting and spiritual type of anthology. I thought I'd try to make this a scrap more personal," said Leskanich.

In 2013, Leskanich and her new band performed at festivals in the UK and Europe, including the San Fermín^[14] festival in Pamplona in Kingdom of spain on Plaza del Castillo, and the Steinegg Festival in Italy. In 2014, Leskanich, a firm believer in animal rights, supported Wildlife Rocks with an acoustic functioning. Other performers included Queen atomic number 82 guitarist and founder of the Save Me organization, Brian May. The effect raised awareness for vital wildlife projects, and was attended by several members of Parliament.

Leskanich released her second solo album, Blisland, which was inspired by the genre of music from her formative years. "I wanted to record an album that reflected my honey of all the genres of music I grew up listening to, from Peter Frampton Live (sic) to Neil Young'due south Harvest. I roughshod in love with the South West of England; the cute beaches reminded me of California, and a footling village chosen Blisland not only had a fantastic trivial pub but also gave me the perfect proper name for my new album."

2014 Leskanich toured North America on the Retro Futura Bout with other 80s artists including Thompson Twins, Tom Bailey, Howard Jones, Midge Ure and People's republic of china Crisis^[xv] In 2015 Leskanich toured South Africa on the Rewind Tour and toured on her own in Northward America.

In 2016, Leskanich took part in the BBC's Eurovision: You Decide,^[sixteen] toured Australia on the 'Totally 80s' Tour and toured in Sweden during the summertime.

Leskanich toured the United states with the Retro Futura Tour 2017 with 80s artists including Howard Jones, Paul Young, The English Beat and Mod English^[17] and in May 2017 released her first compilation album, The Very All-time of Katrina. In 2018 Leskanich released her first Christmas unmarried, "I Can't Give You Annihilation only Love".

The Eurovision Song Contest 2020 could non have identify due to coronavirus disease and therefore the EBU decided to organise Eurovision: Europe Shine a Low-cal^[18] as an alternative. The name was inspired by the song "Love Polish a Calorie-free" by Katrina and the Waves which won the Eurovision Song Contest 1997. Closing the show, nigh of the artists performed "Dear Shine a Light" from their corresponding habitation countries with Leskanich singing the last line.

In July 2020, Leskanich released the single "Drive" which garnered many plays on BBC Radio two and BBC local radio stations. This was followed by the release of her album, Hearts, Loves & Babys ^[19] and a 2nd single, "I Want to Love Again".^{[20] [21]}

Other piece of work [edit]

Leskanich and Sher Harper, her partner^[22] and manager, coauthored Peggy Lee Loves London – My London Guide (2013),^{[23] [24] [25]} a quirky photographic guidebook about London. In 2018, Leskanich and Harper released a new dog-friendly travel guide, Metropoodle: My Cornwall Guide, on Amazon Kindle.^[26]

Discography [edit]

Solo [edit]

Solo albums [edit]

• Turn the Tide Limited release 2004
• Katrina Leskanich released in 2006 – Universal Distribution
• The Live Album digital release July 2010
• Turn the Tide digital re-release with bonus tracks September 2010
• Spiritualize digital release May 2011
• Blisland digital release Baronial 19, 2014
• The Very All-time of Katrina digital release May 3, 2017
• Hearts, Loves & Babys digital release Aug 28, 2020

Compilations [edit]

• Nosotros Gotta Become out of This Place with Eric Burdon – China Beach 1989 SBK
• Ride of Your Life – Render to the Centre of the Globe (Rick Wakeman) 1999 EMI
• Scar – This Is Non Retro - This Is the Eighties Up to Date 2005
• They Don't Know – Gylne tider 2 2007 Sony BMG
• Hitsville United kingdom – The Sandinista Project 2007 3:59 Records
• Walking on Sunshine (live and studio version) – Inaugural Spectacular 2 (2007) Liberation Blueish Records (Australian-only release)

Singles [edit]

• "They Don't Know" digital release in 2006
• "They Don't Know" Club Mixes – Katrina vs Sleazesisters digital release 2008
• "Sun Coming Upper" digital release March 2015
• "I Can't Give You Annihilation but Dear" digital release Nov 2018
• "Drive" digital release July 2020
• "I Want to Dear Again" digital release August 2020

Other appearances [edit]

• "Don't Follow Me" – Hanoi Rocks 1983 - backing vocals
• "Torn" – Natalie Imbruglia 1997 - backing vocals
• "I Quit" – Hepburn 1998 - backing vocals
• "Ride of Your Life" from Return to the Eye of the World – Rick Wakeman 1999 - invitee vocals
• "Assistance Me Assist Yous" – Holly Valance 2003 - backing vocals

With Katrina and the Waves [edit]

Albums [edit]

• The Bible of Bop (Kimberley Rew) 1982 Armageddon Records
• Shock Horror 1982 (The Waves) Aftermath Records
• Walking on Sunshine 1983 Attic Records
• The 2d LP 1984 Attic Records
• Katrina & The Waves 1985 Capitol Records
• Waves 1986 Capitol Records
• Intermission of Hearts 1989 SBK Records
• Pet the Tiger 1991 Virgin Frg
• Border of the State 1993 Polydor
• Turnaround 1994 Polydor
• Roses 1995 Polydor
• Walk on Water 1997 Warner Music

All-time-of albums [edit]

• The Best Of 1991 Attic Records
• Anthology 1995 One Way Records
• KATW/Waves 1996 BGO Records
• Premium Golden Drove 1997 EMI
• Greatest Hits of 1997 EMI
• Walking on Sunshine 1997 Polygram Records
• The Original Recordings 2003 BongoBeat Records

Singles [edit]

• "The Nightmare" 1982 (The Waves) Armagedon Records
• "Brown Eyed Son" 1982 (The Waves) Albion Records
• "Plastic Man" 1984 Silvertown Records
• "Walking on Sunshine" 1985 Capitol Records
• "Cerise Wine & Whisky" 1985 Capitol Records
• "Do You Want Crying?" 1985 Capitol Records
• "Que te quiero" 1985 Capitol Records
• "Mexico" 1985 Capitol Records
• "Is That It" 1986 Capitol Records
• "Tears for Me" 1986 Capitol Records
• "Lovely Lindsey" 1986 Capitol Records
• "Sun Street" 1986 Capitol Records
• "That'south the Mode" 1989 SBK Records
• "Rock 'n' Roll Girl" 1989 SBK Records
• "We Gotta Exit of This Place" 1989 SBK Records
• "Pet the Tiger" 1991 Virgin Records
• "Tears of a Adult female" 1991 Virgin Records
• "Birkenhead Garbage Pickers" 1992 Virgin Records
• "I'm in Deep" 1993 Polydor
• "Cookin'" 1994 Polydor
• "The Street Where Yous Live" 1995 Polydor
• "Beloved Lamb" 1995 Polydor
• "Turnaround" 1995 Polydor
• "Walking Where the Roses Abound" 1995 Polydor
• "Brown Eyed Son" 1997 Top Line records
• "Honey Polish a Calorie-free" 1997 Warner Music
• "Walk on H2o" 1997 Warner Music

References [edit]

1. ^ "That's The Style - Katrina And The Waves - Custom Backing Track". Karaoke Version. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
2. ^ "Live With… Katrina Leskanich". YouTube . Retrieved June 21, 2020.
3. ^ https://www.elmundo.es/loc/celebrities/2020/01/28/5e2f68a9fc6c83d37c8b462b.html
4. ^ "serbs-who-were-height-of-the-pops > Purple Air Forcefulness Lakenheath > Display". www.britic.co.uk.
5. ^ "Remember 'Walking on Sunshine'? Interview with 1980s music legend Katrina and The Waves". The Shortlisted. August 26, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
6. ^ "KATRINA LESKANISCH". American Overseas Schools Historical Society.
7. ^ Robin Schwartz (July 1985). How a postman, dishwasher, mortician, and a bowling-ball-hole-driller became Katrina and the Waves. Spin. p. 12. Retrieved Baronial 22, 2010.
8. ^ O'Connor, John Kennedy. The Eurovision Song Contest – The Official History. Carlton Books, Great britain. 2007 ISBN 978-1-84442-994-3
9. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Striking Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Express. p. 297. ISBNi-904994-10-v.
10. ^ "Katrina and the Waves a 1-striking wonder? Only if you've forgotten these gems". Tampa Bay Times. September 2, 2014.
11. ^ "Katrina Leskanich: 'Never again!'". https://esctoday.com/. May 17, 2005. Retrieved May 12, 2005.
12. ^ McElroy, Steven (September 1, 2005). "Arts, Briefly". The New York Times . Retrieved September 9, 2017.
13. ^ Salkin, Allen (September xi, 2005). "What'due south in a Name, Katrinas?". The New York Times . Retrieved September 20, 2017.
14. ^ "Katrina'due south Web". Katrinasweb.com. January xiii, 2014. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
15. ^ "Retro Futura Tour 2014". rocksubculture.com. August 27, 2014. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
16. ^ "Katrina and the Waves performs 'Dear Shine a Light' - Eurovision 2016: You lot Decide - BBC Four". BBC Iv. Feb 26, 2016. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
17. ^ "Retro Futura Tour 2017". soundwavestv.com. February 28, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
18. ^ "Dearest Shine A Light performed by the artists of Eurovision 2020 - Eurovision: Europe Smoothen A Lite". Eurovision Song Competition. May xvi, 2020. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
19. ^ "Katrina from Katrina & The Waves Speeds Ahead with New Anthology 'Hearts, Loves, and Babys' (Q&A)". rockcellarmagazine.com. August 27, 2020. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
20. ^ "Hearts, Loves and Babys — Katrina Leskanich unpacks epic personal tales in new album". wiwibloggs.com. Baronial vii, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
21. ^ "INTERVIEW: KATRINA FROM KATRINA AND THE WAVES TALKS NEW Anthology 'HEARTS, LOVES, AND BABYS', EUROPE SHINE A LIGHT, AND A POTENTIAL 'AMERICAN Vocal Competition". culturefix.co.uk. August 23, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
22. ^ "Singer explores London in new city tour guide series". Times of Malta.
23. ^ Leskanich, Yard and Harper, S "Peggy Lee Loves London" Metropoodle Press 2013 ISBN 978-0-9575828-0-4
24. ^ Isabel Choat. "Peggy Lee Loves London: a new guidebook starring a pet dog". The Guardian . Retrieved Jan 23, 2014.
25. ^ "Peggy Leee Loves London". Katrina's Web. Archived from the original on February three, 2014. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
26. ^ "Metropoodle - My London Guide and Metropoodle - My Cornwall Guide". Katrina's Spider web . Retrieved April 24, 2020.

External links [edit]

Media related to Katrina Leskanich at Wikimedia Eatables

• Katrina'due south Web – KATRINA's official website
• KATRINA Leskanich official YouTube
• KATRINA Leskanich on Reverbnation
• KATRINA Leskanich on Instagram
• KATRINA Leskanich on Twitter
• KATRINA Leskanich on Facebook
• The Sandinista Project

Awards and achievements
Preceded past Eimear Quinn with "The Voice"	Winner of the Eurovision Song Competition 1997 (as part of Katrina and the Waves)	Succeeded by Dana International with "Diva"
Preceded by Gina Thou with "Ooh Aah... Just a Piffling Flake"	United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1997 (equally office of Katrina and the Waves)	Succeeded by Imaani with "Where Are You?"

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katrina_Leskanich

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