Eternal (group)
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Eternal were a BRIT-nominated, MOBO award winning London based R&B girl group formed in 1992 [1], that found fame in 1993.
The group, consisting of sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett, alongside Kéllé Bryan and Louise Nurding (also known as Louise and Louise Redknapp), went on to become one of the United Kingdom's most successful girl groups of all time, achieving both domestic and global success.
One of their most notable achievements was achieving a Top 20 hit in the US with debut single Stay - a big achievement for a British female act in the pre-Spice era of the mid-90s.
Globally, Eternal's total sales are in excess of 10 million+ records sold. [2]
Group Biography (1992-1999)
Eternal formed in 1992, when sisters Easther & Vernie Bennett met Kéllé Bryan and Louise Nurding at a club. [3] Signing to EMI Records in 1993, they launched onto the music scene with their debut single Stay in September 1993. The single was a success on both sides of the Atlantic – reaching #4 in the United Kingdom, and #19 in America. [4]
Their debut album “Always & Forever” soon followed, released November 29 1993, peaking at #2. The album sold over one million copies in their homeland, making Eternal the first girl group to achieve a million-selling album in the UK. It was 1994's fourth biggest selling LP and includes six Top 15 singles, including the Top 5 hit “Oh Baby I…”, released October 1994.
Eternal's success was quickly recognized. They were named Best Group at the 1993 Smash Hits Poll Winners' Party, and in 1995 they were nominated in four BRIT Award categories, including Best Album for Always & Forever.
In June 1995, Louise left the band to pursue a solo career, amid marked controversy that she was the only white member in the quartet. There was speculation that Eternal’s management had wanted Louise to leave the group to improve Eternal's chances of achieving success in America. However, this was denied to be the case. Louise has since stated that she simply wanted to pursue a solo career and had signed a solo deal with EMI six months prior to her official departure. She went on to achieve great success in her own right.
Eternal returned to the recording studio as a trio, and recorded their second album Power of a Woman, released on November 5 1995. The LP peaked at #6 on the UK Albums chart and includes four Top 10 hit singles, such as “I Am Blessed” and the #5 hit "The Power of a Woman".
They achieved notable popularity in Japan when a song taken from the “Power of a Woman” album, Who are You?, was used in a Toyota advert, and thus reached #1 in the Japanese singles chart. The advert was aired globally.
In March 1996, Eternal released the theme song for Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, entitled Someday. Eternal's version of the track was not featured on the USA edition of the soundtrack; instead American soul group All-4-One took the vocal honours.
“Someday” was the first release from Eternal’s third studio album “Before the Rain”, which was released March 17 1997, and peaked at #3 on the UK albums charts. Also included on this album was their first – and only – UK chart-topper, “I Wanna Be the Only One”, a duet with BeBe Winans. This track was nominated for Best Single at the Brit Awards, MOBO Awards and Capital FM Award, winning at the latter two events, but losing out at the Brit Awards to All Saints with their million-selling single “Never Ever”. “I Wanna Be the Only One” was also the third most played song on British radio in 1997.
Eternal released their Greatest Hits package on October 26 1997. The compilation contains their fourteen consecutive Top 15 hit songs – at the time this was an unprecedented record for a British girl group. It reached #2, and went on to sell over one million copies, making it the biggest-selling LP of 1997 not to reach no.1). It was 1997's ninth best-selling album and the most successful hits package from any act that year.
The compilation included the track, Angel of Mine, which was released as the album’s only single. It gave the group their last Top 10 single of their career when it reached #4 in October 1997. The song went on to become a U.S. #1 hit for R&B singer Monica when she covered it in 1999.
In 1998 Kéllé Bryan was controversially sacked from the group. Kéllé had been asked to leave the group by Easther and Vernie via a letter from their solicitor, reportedly citing a breakdown of professional relations between the sisters and Kéllé.
Easther and Vernie recruited a replacement member called TJ, who subsequently left after only a brief stint with the group. The Bennett sisters decided the way forward was to continue the group as a duo, and released What'cha Gonna Do in October 1999. The single reached a relatively disappointing #16, ending their run of Top 15 hits. A month previously, Kéllé Bryan’s first (and only) single “Higher Than Heaven” went two places higher, at #14.
However, the final nail in the coffin for Eternal was when their self-titled fourth studio album performed dismally, failing to even enter the Top 75 charts. The duo was dropped by EMI in 2000. [5]
Solo Achievements (1995-present)
Louise left Eternal for a successful solo pop career, which saw her score a string of Top 20 singles and albums from 1995 to 2003. She has also presented a number of shows, including SMTV Live, CD:UK and most notably The Clothes Show. She has expressed a desire to return to her the music industry as a solo artist, however the likeliness of Louise becoming involved in an Eternal reunion remains highly unlikely.
As a singer, Kéllé Bryan experienced post-Eternal success in the form of a #14 single called Higher Than Heaven in October 1999. Her debut solo album Breakfast In Bed, would never be commercially released. A second single, I Wanna Know, was also cancelled due to lack of media interest. Kéllé was also dealing with personal health issues, following her diagnosis as a sufferer of lupus, which contributed to the shelving of her musical career. She now campaigns for the awareness of this illness. [6]
She also tried her hand at presenting. Prior to 2002 she presented The N List on Nickelodeon with Dave Berry, and co-hosted an ITV Play phone-in quiz Glitterball in 2007.
Kéllé Bryan recently took part in ITV's "Love Island" as one of 11 contestants in July 2006. Kelle became runner-up in the show.
Easther Bennett teamed up with reggae band Aswad to record a cover of Diana King's "Shy Guy" which was released as a single in August 2002. However, the single failed to make much of an impact on the UK singles chart, peaking at #62. That same year, Easther provided backing vocals on Girls Aloud’s cover of "Stay Another Day" which was the B Side to their Christmas #1 hit "Sound of the Underground" in December 2002.
She also recorded two songs that featured on compilation CDs. In 2003, her cover of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" was featured on a Valentine's Day love songs compilation CD. The following year, Easther recorded a cover of "We are Family" for the soundtrack to the film "Tooth", which featured in the end credits.
In 2005, Easther wrote a track called "Offence" which was intended to appear on Mel B's album "LA State Of Mind". The track was not included on the final tracklisting.
Easther’s sister Vernie stepped out of the lime-light following the demise of Eternal. It has been said Vernie went back to finish studying Law at University. In 2006 Vernie had a baby.
Reunion Rumours (2006-present)
In March 2006, Ticketmaster advertised a forthcoming arena tour, "The Arena Tour 2006", which would feature a number of R&B acts, including Eternal [7], as well as Mark Morrison, Dina Carroll, Boyz II Men and En Vogue. This would only involve two original members of Eternal– Easther Bennett and Kéllé Bryan. Tickets for the scheduled 10 date tour went on sale on March 31 2006, and was due to take place in October 2006. However this was cancelled [8] due to lack of ticket sales just one week later, so an Eternal reunion never came into fruition. Vernie could not take part in this brief reunion due to being pregnant at the time with her first child.
Easther and Vernie Bennett have allegedly already signed up for a reunion tour of the UK and the recording of a new album, with former band mate Kéllé Bryan deciding whether to rejoin the girls. Kéllé has allegedly stated that there are talks going on, but that nothing has been set in stone.
A newspaper report in the Sunday People revealed in March 2008 that Eternal are set to return in 2008, without Kéllé Bryan or Louise Redknapp. [9] This rumour remains unconfirmed by the band themselves.
On 11th June 2008, the Daily Mirror reported that Easther Bennett is being lined up to appear in reality show Strictly Come Dancing. According to the report she will be joining other celebrities such as Denise Welch, Traci Bingham and Daniel Boys when the show returns in September.
Discography
- 1993 – Always & Forever
- 1995 – Power of a Woman
- 1997 – Before the Rain
- 1997 – Greatest Hits
- 1999 – Eternal
Tours
- 1994 – Always And Forever Tour
- 1995 – Good Thing Tour
- 1997 – Before The Rain Tour
References
- ^ "Biography - Eternal". Billboard.
- ^ "Eternal Music". Kelle Bryan.
- ^ "Biography - Eternal". Billboard.
- ^ "Artist Chart History - Eternal". Billboard.
- ^ "Eternal dropped by label". BBC News. 2000-04-04.
- ^ Jackie Stevens (2005-08-04). "Eternal struggle for pop star". Daily Mail.
- ^ "The Arena Tour 2006". Ticketmaster. 2006-03-31.
- ^ "The Arena Tour 2006 - cancelled".
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|[publisher=ignored (help) - ^ Alice Walker, Emma Donnan & Katie Hind (2008-03-23). "Come On, Bands Reunite Our Fire". ThePeople.co.uk.