Biography
Who is Katrina Leskanich?
Early life and background
Katrina Leskanich was born in Topeka, Kansas, on April 10, 1960. Her father served as a colonel in the United States Air Force and was a veteran of the Vietnam War. Due to her father's military career, Katrina and her five siblings relocated frequently throughout her childhood. The family eventually settled in the United Kingdom in 1976. Katrina attended RAF Lakenheath high school, graduating in 1978.
Formation of the band
In 1978, Katrina joined a pop cover band called Mama's Cookin' based in Feltwell, Norfolk. The group featured Vince de la Cruz on guitar and Marcos de la Cruz on drums. By late 1980, Alex Cooper joined the group on drums alongside bassist Bob Jakins. The singer-songwriter Kimberley Rew joined the ensemble in 1981, and the group was renamed The Waves, referencing a previous band involving Rew and Cooper.
The group underwent further changes in 1982. After bassist Bob Jakins left the lineup, Vince de la Cruz transitioned to bass guitar. The band was then rechristened Katrina and the Waves. They released their debut EP titled Shock Horror! Later that same year.
Musical success and chart history
The band recorded an album of original material in 1983. They secured a deal with Attic Records in Canada, leading to the release of their first album, Walking on Sunshine. After touring Canada and releasing a second album, Katrina and the Waves 2, in 1984, the group signed an international deal with Capitol Records in 1985. Their self-titled international debut featured the global hit single Walking on Sunshine, which reached number nine in the United States and number eight in the United Kingdom. This track earned the group a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.
Following their initial success, the band released the album Waves in 1986, which included the song Sun Street. In 1989, they recorded Break of Hearts for SBK Records, which featured the track That's the Way, reaching number 16 in the United States. Throughout the 1990s, they continued recording, including the song We Gotta Get Out of This Place for the television series China Beach. On May 3, 1997, the group won the Eurovision Song Contest representing the United Kingdom with the song Love Shine a Light. This victory marked their biggest commercial success, reaching number three on the UK Singles Chart.
Solo career and later work
Following the breakup of her band in 1999, Katrina pursued a solo career. In 2005, she participated in the Swedish Eurovision pre-selection event, Melodifestivalen, performing a duet titled As If Tomorrow Will Never Come with the band The Nameless. She released her first solo CD, titled Katrina Leskanich, through Universal Records in 2005. That same year, she discussed sharing a name with the hurricane that devastated the U.S. Gulf Coast, expressing hope that her music could provide comfort.
To mark the 25th anniversary of her most famous track, she issued a live album in 2010. She continued to release music, including the EP Spiritualize in 2011. In 2013, she performed at festivals across Europe, including the San FermÃn festival in Spain. In 2014, she performed at the Wildlife Rocks event alongside Queen guitarist Brian May to support animal rights and raise awareness for wildlife projects.
Birthday and age
Katrina Leskanich was born on April 10, 1960, which makes Katrina 66 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Katrina shares the date with 69 other famous people.
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