Eternal (band)

Eternal was a London based 1990s R&B girl group that found fame in 1993 and went on to become one of the UK's most successful girl groups of all time, achieving both domestic and global success.

The group was made up of church-going sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett and school friends Kéllé (or Kelle) Bryan and Louise Nurding (also known as Louise and Louise Redknapp), who both went to the famous Italia Conti Academy stage school.

Biography

Launched in 1993 with the Top 5 smash Stay, Eternal became the first girl group to have a million-selling album in the UK, with their debut set, Always & Forever. It was 1994's fourth biggest selling LP and spawned six Top 15 singles. Eternal's success was quickly recognised - they were named Best Group at the 1993 Smash Hits Poll Winners' Party and in 1995 they earned four BRIT Award nominations, including Best Album for Always & Forever.

In 1995, Louise left the band amid marked controversy over the fact that Louise was the only white member; some quarters suggested Louise was dumped to improve Eternal's chances of breaking America. Eternal's management, however, denied this was the case.

As Louise embarked on her (what was to be considerably fruitful) solo career, Eternal continued to enjoy success as a trio with their second album Power of a Woman, which gave them four Top 10 hits. In 1996, they were asked to sing the theme song for Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Someday. However, whilst this seemed like the ideal opportunity for the group to break America, for some reason Eternal's version was used everywhere except the USA (where American soul group All-4-One took the vocal honours).

In May 1997, the group joined forces with US singer BeBe Winans to score their first - and only - UK chart-topper, I Wanna be the Only One. Taken from their third LP, Before the Rain, it became Eternal's biggest hit to date: it was the third most played song on British radio in 1997 and earned them a MOBO Award and Capital FM Award for Best Single. It was also nominated for Best Single at the BRIT Awards; although the gong went to All Saints, unofficial reports suggest that winner Never Ever was closely challenged by two acts: Eternal and Spice Girls.

After a further Top 5 single, Angel Of Mine (which went on to become a U.S. no.1 for R&B singer Monica in 1999), Eternal released their Greatest Hits package in October 1997. The compilation contained fourteen consecutive Top 15 hit songs - an unprecedented record for a British girl group - and rocketed to no.2 on the British album charts. It sold in excess of a million copies (the biggest-selling LP of 1997 not to reach no.1), making it 1997's ninth best-selling album and the biggest hits package from any act that year.

In 1998 Kéllé departed in yet another debacle when it became apparent that Kéllé had been asked to leave the group by Easther and Vernie via a letter from their solicitor, following a reported breakdown of professional relations between the sisters and Kéllé.

Easther and Vernie recruited for a replacement and appointed a singer named TJ, who subsequently left the group after only a brief stint, leaving just the two founding Bennett sisters once again. The now duo released one final single, What'cha Gonna Do (which reached a disappointing no.16) in 1999, and a critically acclaimed self-titled album that performed dismally - it failed to even make the Top 75 - before being dropped by EMI in 2000.

Kéllé Bryan experienced limited post-Eternal success in the form of one no.14 single called Higher Than Heaven in October 1999. She also presented The N List on Nickelodeon with Dave Berry for a while. There were rumours that Kéllé had recorded a track with Slash from Guns N' Roses called Wait A Minute for her solo album Breakfast In Bed, which was, unfortunately, never to be released. The same plight struck her second single, I Wanna Know, which was cancelled due to lack of media interest and personal health issues, following her diagnosis as a sufferer of lupus, an illness she now campaigns for awareness of.

In less than seven years, Eternal became the most successful British R&B female group ever, achieving notable popularity in Japan, where their song Who are You? was used in a Toyota advert, south-east Asia, Australia and parts of Europe. They even managed to score a Top 20 hit in the US with Stay - a big achievement for a British female act in the pre-Spice era of the mid-90s. They also scored a string of hits in both Australia and New Zealand where both I Wanna Be the Only One and The best achieved platinum sales. Globally, Eternal's total sales stands at over 9million.

In March 2006 internet site www.ticketmaster.co.uk began advertising an "Arena Tour 2006" which featured Eternal alongside other acts such as Boyz II Men and En Vogue, however it was later cancelled.

Kelle Bryan is now due to take part in ITV's " Love Island " as one of 11 contestants. It starts on ITV on Monday 10th July at 9pm - so make sure you keep kelle in!

Members

Easther Bennett - born 11 December, 1972, in Croydon, Surrey
Vernie Bennett - born Vernett Bennett, on 17 May, 1971, in Croydon, Surrey
Kéllé Bryan (also Kelle Bryan) - born 12 March, 1975, in Lewisham, London
Louise Nurding - born Louise Elizabeth Nurding (also known as Louise and Louise Redknapp, on 4 November, 1974, in Lewisham, London

Discography

Singles

Date	Title	UK chart	Notes
20 September 1993	Stay	#4	US chart #19, Dance chart #1
4 January 1994	Save Our Love	#8
18 April 1994	Just A Step From Heaven	#8	Dance chart #1
July 1994	Sweet Funky Thing	-	US release
8 August 1994	So Good	#13	Dance chart #1
24 October 1994	Oh Baby I...	#4	B side was Sweet Funky Thing, Dance chart #1, certified silver (200,000+ copies sold)
12 December 1994	Crazy (The E.P.)	#15	Dance chart #1
9 October 1995	Power Of A Woman	#5	Dance chart #1
October 1995	Who Are You	-	#1 Japan, from Toyota advert
27 November 1995	I Am Blessed	#7	Certified silver (200,000+ copies sold)
26 February 1996	Good Thing	#8
5 August 1996	Someday	#4	From Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame
25 November 1996	Secrets	#9
24 February 1997	Don't You Love Me	#3	Airplay chart #1, certified silver (200,000+ copies sold)
February 1997	Finally	-	#1 Japan
16 May 1997	I Wanna Be The Only One (featuring BeBe Winans)	#1 (1 week)	Airplay chart #1, certified platinum (600,000+ copies sold)
May 1997	Think About Me	-	#4 Japan
29 September 1997	Angel Of Mine	#4	R&B chart #1, certified silver (200,000+ copies sold)
18 October 1999	What'cha Gonna Do	#16

B-Sides & other tracks

1993 Don't Say Goodbye (Stay B-Side/Always & Forever album track)
1994 If You Need Me Tonight (Save Our Love B-Side/Always & Forever album track)
1994 I've Got To Be With You (Just A Step From Heaven B-Side)
1994 Fantasy (Just A Step From Heaven B-Side)
1994 Ain't No How I'm Steppin (So Good B-Side)
1994 Loving You (So Good B-Side)
1994 Decisions (Oh Baby I... B-Side)
1994 Something Inside (So Strong) (Crazy B-Side)
1994 His Eye Is on The Sparrow (Crazy B-Side)
1994 Amazing Grace (Crazy B-Side)
1995 Hurry Up (Power Of A Woman B-Side/Power Of A Woman album track)
1995 Oh Happy Day (I Am Blessed B-Side)
1996 Stay (Good Thing B-Side/Always & Forever album track)
1996 So Good (Good Thing B-Side/Always & Forever album track)
1996 Oh Baby I... (Good Thing B-Side/Always & Forever album track)
1996 When You Wish Upon A Star (Someday B-Side)
1996 A Whole New World (Someday B-Side)
1996 Oh Baby I... (Live for Radio 1 at Manchester Apollo '96) (Someday B-Side)
1996 Power Of A Woman (Live for Radio 1 at Manchester Apollo '96) (Someday B-Side)
1996 Good Thing (Live for Radio 1 at Manchester Apollo '96) (Someday B-Side)
1996 I Feel The Earth Move (Secrets B-Side)
1996 Redemption Song (Chicco Secci Mix) (Secrets B-Side/original version on Power Of A Woman)
1996 Who Are You (Cut Father & Joe Mastermix) (Secrets B-Side/original version on Power Of A Woman)
1996 Black Cat (Live) (Secrets B-Side)
1996 Still In Love (Live) (Secrets B-Side)
1997 I'll Take A Pass On Love (Don't You Love Me B-Side)
1997 This Life's Not For Me (Don't You Love Me B-Side/Finally B-Side)
1997 Don't You Love Me (Finally B-Side/Before The Rain single)
1997 A Friend Is A Friend (I Wanna Be The Only One B-Side/Think About Me B-Side)
1997 Show Me (I Wanna Be The Only One B-Side)
1997 I Wanna Be The Only One (Think About Me B-Side/Before The Rain single)
1997 12 Months (Angel Of Mine B-Side)
1997 Talk About It (Angel Of Mine B-Side)
1997 Dreams (Remix) (Angel Of Mine B-Side)
1999 We're Not Making Love Anymore (What'cha Gonna Do B-Side)
1999 Got To Be The One (What'cha Gonna Do B-Side)

Albums

Date	Title	UK chart	Notes
28 November 1993	Always & Forever	#2	Million-seller, certified 4 x platinum (1,200,000+ copies sold)
30 March 1995	A Platinum Celebration	-	Non-UK release
30 October 1995	Power Of A Woman	#6	Certified 2 x platinum (600,000+ copies sold)
11 November 1996	Power Of A Woman/The Number One Dance Mixes	-	Limited edition double CD
17 March 1997	Before The Rain	#3	Certified platinum (300,000+ copies sold)
20 October 1997	Greatest Hits	#2	Million-seller, certified 3 x platinum (900,000+ copies sold)
11 November 1999	Eternal	#87
23 December 2002	Essential Eternal	-	Budget chart release

Always & Forever

1. Stay
2. Crazy
3. Save Our Love
4. Oh Baby I...
5. I'll Be There
6. Sweet Funky Thing
7. Just A Step From Heaven
8. Never Gonna Give You Up
9. Let's Stay Together
10. This Love Is For Real
11. So Good
12. If You Need Me Tonight
13. Don't Say Goodbye
14. Amazing Grace

Power Of A Woman

1. Power Of A Woman
2. I Am Blessed
3. Good Thing
4. Telling You Now
5. Hurry Up
6. Redemption Song
7. It Will Never End
8. Who Are You
9. Secrets
10. Your Smile
11. Don't Make Me Wait
12. Up To You
13. Faith In Love

Before The Rain

1. Don't You Love Me
2. I Wanna Be The Only One (featuring BeBe Winans)
3. How Many Tears
4. Grace Under Pressure
5. Someday
6. Think About Me
7. Promises
8. I'm Still Crying
9. Think About Me
10. What Do You Mean When You Say
11. Why Am I Waiting
12. It's Never Too Late

Japanese bonus tracks

13. 12 Months
13. I'll Take A Pass On Love
14. I Wanna Be The Only One (Easther on lead vocal)

The Greatest Hits

1. Angel Of Mine
2. Stay
3. Save Our Love
4. Just A Step From Heaven
5. So Good
6. Oh Baby I...
7. Crazy
8. Power Of A Woman
9. I Am Blessed
10. Good Thing
11. Someday
12. Secrets
13. Don't You Love Me
14. I Wanna Be The Only One
15. Who Are you
16. Finally
17. Might As Well Be Me