Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox Artistfacts

  • December 25, 1954
  • After hearing Nelson Mandela describe the HIV pandemic in Africa as a "genocide," Lennox took up the cause, forming the SING organization to raise money and awareness. She was named UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador, and in 2010 gave a TED talk called "Why I am an HIV/AIDS activist."
  • She and Dave Stewart were a couple when they formed a group called The Tourists in 1977, but split up before they formed the Eurythmics in 1980. Their relationship remained complicated, and they often used songs and interviews as a form of therapy. In 1988, she said of their relationship, "It isn't physical anymore, but it is romantic."
  • Lennox is one of the most popular British female artists of all time. Including her work with Eurythmics, she's sold over 80 million albums worldwide.
  • She has adopted many different looks, creating a striking visual profile. In the early '80s, she often wore men's clothes and kept her hair cut short, leading to questions about her sexuality. "It was a kind of slightly subversive statement and what's even more subversive about it is that I'm so not gay," she told The Guardian. "I'm completely heterosexual."
  • Her first husband was a Hare Krishna monk named Radha Raman. They were married in 1984, but divorced a short time later. Lennox later admitted that the marriage was her way of rebelling against her father, as he opposed the union. She and her dad didn't speak to each other for about a year; in 1987, he died from cancer.
  • Her first solo album, Diva, was released in 1992 and was a huge success, earning the Brit Award for Best British Album and garnering a Grammy Nomination for Album of the Year. Lennox was married to her second husband (Israeli film producer Uri Fruchtmann) at this time and starting a family, so she didn't tour to support the album, which still sold over two million copies in America. The couple had two daughters, Lola and Tali.
  • Lennox is a prolific songwriter, but her second solo album, Medusa (1995), is all cover songs. The biggest hit from the album is "No More I Love You's," which was a minor hit in 1986 for the group The Lover Speaks.
  • She was never into drugs or other indulgences associated with headline acts. Her tour rider requested items like raw vegetables and tea.
  • She has a record six Brit Awards for Best Female Artist.
  • She and The Spice Girls shared a manager in Simon Fuller. According to Fuller, Lennox gave the girls some great tips that helped them develop their personas. She suggested they go louder and bolder, accentuating their personality traits.

Comments: 1

  • Laura from 68310I'm sure you won't see this Annie, but Happy Birthday yesterday! From a mega fan, Laura.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

dUg Pinnick of King's X

dUg Pinnick of King's XSongwriter Interviews

dUg dIgs into his King's X metal classics and his many side projects, including the one with Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam.

The Girl in That Song

The Girl in That SongFact or Fiction

Billie Jean, Delilah, Sara, Laura and Sharona - do you know who the girls in the songs really are?

Jeff Trott

Jeff TrottSongwriter Interviews

Sheryl Crow's longtime songwriting partner/guitarist Jeff Trott reveals the stories behind many of the singer's hits, and what its like to be a producer for Leighton Meester and Max Gomez.

Famous Singers' First Films

Famous Singers' First FilmsSong Writing

A look at the good (Diana Ross, Eminem), the bad (Madonna, Bob Dylan) and the peculiar (David Bowie, Michael Jackson) film debuts of superstar singers.

P.F. Sloan

P.F. SloanSongwriter Interviews

P.F. was a teenager writing hits and playing on tracks for Jan & Dean when he wrote a #1 hit that got him blackballed.

David Bowie Lyrics Quiz

David Bowie Lyrics QuizMusic Quiz

How well do you know your David Bowie lyrics? Take this quiz to find out.