Lulu is the stage name of Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie OBE, a Scottish singer and actress born in 1948 and associated with Lennoxtown and London. She is best known for her 1960s hit “To Sir With Love”.

Career

Lulu begins her recording career in the 1960s and first reaches a wide audience as a teenager with a version of “Shout”, performed with her backing group, The Luvvers. After several further British hits, she leaves the group and continues as a solo artist.

She later tours Poland in 1966 with The Hollies, becoming the first British female singer to perform live behind the Iron Curtain. In 1967, she makes her film acting debut in To Sir With Love, and her title song for the film becomes a major US hit. In the UK, the song appears only on the B-side of “Let’s Pretend”.

Eurovision and later work

In 1969, Lulu represents the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest with “Boom bang-a-bang” and shares the winning position with entries from Spain, the Netherlands and France. The contest ends in a four-way tie, after which the rules are changed to prevent a repeat.

She marries Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees in 1969, later divorcing in 1973. She then marries hairdresser John Frieda and has a son, Jordan Frieda, before that marriage also ends in divorce. During this period she becomes interested in Eastern mysticism and joins Siddha Yoga Meditation.

In 1974 she sings the title song for the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun. Her career continues in television and acting, including playing Adrian Mole’s mother on television in 1987 and appearing in two episodes of Absolutely Fabulous as herself.

1990s and 2000s

In the 1990s, Lulu returns to the charts with Take That on “Relight My Fire”, a cover of the Dan Hartman song that reaches number one in the UK. She receives an OBE in 2000.

Her 2002 album Together is a collection of duets with artists including Elton John and Paul McCartney. She publishes the autobiography Don’t Wanna Fight No More in 2003, taking its title from a song she writes for Tina Turner.

In 2004 she releases Back on Track and tours the UK to mark four decades in the music business. She also begins hosting a two-hour BBC Radio 2 show later that year, focusing on music from the 1950s to the 2000s and the influence of songwriting. In 2005 she releases A Little Soul in Your Heart, an album of Motown and soul covers that reaches number 28 in the UK.

She appears as a judge on the BBC reality series Just the Two of Us in 2006.

Associated act

She performs with Lulu & the Luvvers and Rock Therapy.