Belinda Carlisle

Born the first of seven siblings, Carlisle’s earliest musical excursion was playing drums in the punk band Germs under the moniker Dottie Danger. After leaving the Germs and providing backing vocals for Black Randy and the Metrosquad, the singer co-formed the Go-Gos alongside Margot Olavarria, Elissa Bello, and Jane Wiedlin. The line-up changed soon after and became Carlisle on lead vocals, Charlotte Caffet on guitar, Kathy Valentine on bass, and Gina Shock on drums.

The Go-Gos proved ever popular across the U.S., were the first all-female band to achieve a No. 1 U.S. album, and help introduce the new wave genre to the ‘80s with their debut album “Beauty and the Beat”. The group went on to sell over seven million records and become one of the world most successful all-female bands.

In 1985 the group disbanded and Carlisle pursued a solo career. The year after in 1986 the singer released her debut solo album “Belinda” to positive reviews, led by the summer hit “Mad About You”. The album later spawned the singles “I Feel the Magic”, “Band of Gold”, and “Since You’ve Gone”, and led to Carlisle contributing songs to the film soundtracks “Mannequin”, “Out of Bounds”, and “Burglar”. Taking her sound in a more power-pop direction, Belinda Carlisle’s sophomore album “Heaven on Earth” was a Top Five hit in the UK and Australia, and proved to be the singer's most successful album. Earning Carlisle a Grammy nomination, the album was supported by a worldwide tour including a sold-out show at Wembley Arena in London.

The singer’s subsequent album “Runaway Horses” (1989) once again rose to the Top Five in the UK and Australia, aided by the singles “Leave a Light On” featuring George Harrison, “Summer Rain”, “La Luna”, and “(We Want) The Same Thing”. The year after Carlisle reunited with the Go-Gos for a worldwide tour in support of their best-of compilation album “Greatest”.

Carlisle’s fourth solo effort “Live Your Life Be Free” arrived in 1991, which became her first album to fail to reach the charts. Coupled with the commercial disappointment of her fifth album “Real”, Carlisle resumed the comeback with the Go-Gos in 1994 and embarked on a celebrated world tour.

The singer has subsequently released the solo albums “A Woman and a Man” in 1996, and “Voila” in 2007, both of which performed well in the charts, and which rejuvenated the Go-Gos continued touring and compilation albums.