Comfort Hotel Nottingham

Alison Moyet

Moyet was born in Billericay, Essex, England to a French father and English mother. She grew up in Basildon, where she attended school. After leaving school at 16, she worked as a shop worker and a piano tuner. She was involved in a number of punk rock, pub rock and blues bands in the South East Essex area during the late 1970s and early 1980s, including The Vandals and the Screamin' Ab Dabs, The Vicars and The Little Roosters.

Her mainstream pop career began in 1982 when she formed the electro-pop duo Yazoo with former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke. The duo had several hits, including "Situation", "Only You", "Don't Go" and recorded two albums, "Upstairs At Eric's" and "You And Me Both". The group was notable for melding Clarke's trademark electronic sounds with Moyet's warm, soulful voice.

Her subsequent solo debut, Alf spawned 3 hit singles, "Love Resurrection", "Invisible" and "All Cried Out in UK Top 10 hits and between 1984 and 1987 she toured extensively, won two Brit Awards and performed at Wembley Stadium for Live Aid in 1985. In 1987, Alison released Raindancing, an album that won her a third Brit Award and brought her to America for the first time as a solo performer. It was a time of great commercial success, but Alison wasn't about to sacrifice her penchant for musical risk taking.

Her career in the UK is recognised by three BRIT Awards, nine top ten singles and seven top ten albums, including three number ones.