Bellefire
Encyclopedia
Bellefire was an Irish
girl group
, best known for their 2002 cover
of the U2
song "All I Want Is You". They originally consisted of Kelly Kilfeather
(born 23 March 1979), Tara Lee (born 25 July 1982), Cathy Newell (born 14 July 1982) and Ciara Newell
(born 7 July 1983) and a fifth-member named Paula O'Neill. They mostly performed pop
and adult contemporary music
. Outside Southeast Asia
and their native Ireland, they have received minimal recognition, although they did experience minor success in the United Kingdom
with their singles.
), backstage at an audition for a boy-girl band in which Louis Walsh
was a judge. According to the Irish Independent
, Walsh
was disappointed with the standard of male entrants and opted to sign a girl group instead. The intention was to aim towards a "a more mature niche in the pop market" than what was becoming the norm for vocal groups at the time.
After recording their debut album After the Rain
, they released two singles, both of which were top twenty hits in the UK. Their first single, "Perfect Bliss" reached #2 in the Irish charts and went double platinum in their home country. It started to pick up high levels of airplay in Japan
, so the girls delayed release of the album in the UK in order to concentrate on the Japanese market. Perfect Bliss reached No.1 in the Japanese international music charts and meant three months of touring and promotion in Asia and the release of their album After The Rain, especially for the Japanese market. They collaborated with Japanese artist Hitomi Yaida; re-writing English lyrics for Yaida's hit song Buzzstyle, which they recorded in their own harmonised sound and they performed this with her on Japanese tv and in a televised concert.
Their second single "All I Want Is You" was released almost a year after their first single in the UK. It received a lot of airplay and got them an appearance on Top of the Pops
. However, just as the album and another single were due for release, their record company Virgin
unexpectedly dropped them and European version of their album was never released. Changes at Virgin meant new management at the label who had not worked with the band before, decided that Bellefire along with many other artists on the label were to be dropped.
A disillusioned Tara left to become a fashion student, while the other three girls continued without their top harmonist and developed a new repertoire. They were signed by WEA
in 2003 and moved their base to London. They subsequently recorded a new album entitled Spin the Wheel
.
Their first single as a trio was "Say Something Anyway
", which peaked in the UK at #26, but spent only three weeks on the charts. It peaked in Ireland at #2 and repeated previous success by going double platinum. The planned follow-up single for the summer of 2004, "You Were Meant for Me
", was shelved. Bellefire spent the summer of 2004 promoting their upcoming single and album release around the UK at various festivals, but due to the album and single being continually pushed back, the summer promotion did little to boost their reputation and sales. After the failure of their next single, the title track "Spin the Wheel" to impact the UK charts in October 2004, Bellefire once again concentrated on the Asian market, where "Say Something Anyway
" was reaching the top of the charts in countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and The Philippines. They completed their tour of Southeast Asia and released their album there. The UK release of the Spin the Wheel
album and a third single was pushed back several times until it was eventually cancelled.
After the non release of the "Spin the Wheel" album in the UK, Bellefire and Atlantic Records
parted company, and the group went their separate ways.
Ciara Newell was credited as a backing vocalist
for Blue member Lee Ryan
's solo album in 2005, and also performed on the soundtrack for RTÉ drama, Showbands. She now works for a record label in London where she deals in promotions and is still an active songwriter. She is also involved with the Irish language television station, TG4
, where she has been working as a judge on the 4th series of its flagship talent show, Glas Vegas
. The series began airing on TG4 in early 2010.
Cathy Newell was a judge on the 2005 Irish television show Star Stream Final, and is currently living and working in London.
Notes
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
, best known for their 2002 cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
song "All I Want Is You". They originally consisted of Kelly Kilfeather
Kelly Kilfeather
Andrea Kelly Kilfeather is a pop singer and was an original member of Irish girl group Bellefire.Signed to Virgin and then WEA the group released two albums and had two top twenty hits in the United Kingdom as well as a great deal of success in Southeast Asia and the Republic of Ireland.The band...
(born 23 March 1979), Tara Lee (born 25 July 1982), Cathy Newell (born 14 July 1982) and Ciara Newell
Ciara Newell
Ciara Newell was an original member of Irish girl group Bellefire. She has two sisters, Cathy Maria and Neasa.Ciara now works for a record label in London where she deals in promotions and writes songs. Ciara is also involved with the Irish language television station TG4 where she has been working...
(born 7 July 1983) and a fifth-member named Paula O'Neill. They mostly performed pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
. Outside Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and their native Ireland, they have received minimal recognition, although they did experience minor success in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with their singles.
History
They first formed in 1999 (see 1999 in music1999 in music
-Events:*January 7**After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart and supermodel wife Rachel Hunter announce their separation.**Paul McCartney attends the first of his stepdaughter Heather's first housewares collection in Georgia....
), backstage at an audition for a boy-girl band in which Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
was a judge. According to the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
, Walsh
Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
was disappointed with the standard of male entrants and opted to sign a girl group instead. The intention was to aim towards a "a more mature niche in the pop market" than what was becoming the norm for vocal groups at the time.
After recording their debut album After the Rain
After the Rain (album)
After the Rain was the first album by Irish girl group Bellefire, recorded in 2001. It was prevented from being widely released in 2002 by Virgin Records' sudden decision to axe the group. This was in spite of the recent success of their single "All I Want Is You"...
, they released two singles, both of which were top twenty hits in the UK. Their first single, "Perfect Bliss" reached #2 in the Irish charts and went double platinum in their home country. It started to pick up high levels of airplay in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, so the girls delayed release of the album in the UK in order to concentrate on the Japanese market. Perfect Bliss reached No.1 in the Japanese international music charts and meant three months of touring and promotion in Asia and the release of their album After The Rain, especially for the Japanese market. They collaborated with Japanese artist Hitomi Yaida; re-writing English lyrics for Yaida's hit song Buzzstyle, which they recorded in their own harmonised sound and they performed this with her on Japanese tv and in a televised concert.
Their second single "All I Want Is You" was released almost a year after their first single in the UK. It received a lot of airplay and got them an appearance on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
. However, just as the album and another single were due for release, their record company Virgin
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
unexpectedly dropped them and European version of their album was never released. Changes at Virgin meant new management at the label who had not worked with the band before, decided that Bellefire along with many other artists on the label were to be dropped.
A disillusioned Tara left to become a fashion student, while the other three girls continued without their top harmonist and developed a new repertoire. They were signed by WEA
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
in 2003 and moved their base to London. They subsequently recorded a new album entitled Spin the Wheel
Spin the Wheel
Spin the Wheel is the second album album by Irish girl group, Bellefire. It was first released in Asia around July 2004. Outside this region, the album did not do well and went unnoticed...
.
Their first single as a trio was "Say Something Anyway
Say Something Anyway
"Say Something Anyway" was the Irish girl group Bellefire's first single release of their comeback as a 3-piece, after being signed by WEA. It is also included on their album Spin the Wheel. This single received quite a lot of airplay in Ireland , as well as the United Kingdom...
", which peaked in the UK at #26, but spent only three weeks on the charts. It peaked in Ireland at #2 and repeated previous success by going double platinum. The planned follow-up single for the summer of 2004, "You Were Meant for Me
You Were Meant for Me (Jewel song)
"You Were Meant for Me" is a folk pop song written by Jewel and Steve Poltz and performed by Jewel on her first album, Pieces of You. It relates the singer's incomprehension of a failed relationship, and her inadequate attempts at moving on with her life. It was the second single from that album...
", was shelved. Bellefire spent the summer of 2004 promoting their upcoming single and album release around the UK at various festivals, but due to the album and single being continually pushed back, the summer promotion did little to boost their reputation and sales. After the failure of their next single, the title track "Spin the Wheel" to impact the UK charts in October 2004, Bellefire once again concentrated on the Asian market, where "Say Something Anyway
Say Something Anyway
"Say Something Anyway" was the Irish girl group Bellefire's first single release of their comeback as a 3-piece, after being signed by WEA. It is also included on their album Spin the Wheel. This single received quite a lot of airplay in Ireland , as well as the United Kingdom...
" was reaching the top of the charts in countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and The Philippines. They completed their tour of Southeast Asia and released their album there. The UK release of the Spin the Wheel
Spin the Wheel
Spin the Wheel is the second album album by Irish girl group, Bellefire. It was first released in Asia around July 2004. Outside this region, the album did not do well and went unnoticed...
album and a third single was pushed back several times until it was eventually cancelled.
After the non release of the "Spin the Wheel" album in the UK, Bellefire and Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
parted company, and the group went their separate ways.
Ciara Newell was credited as a backing vocalist
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
for Blue member Lee Ryan
Lee Ryan
Lee Ryan is an English singer-songwriter, actor and member of the British boy band Blue.-Early life:...
's solo album in 2005, and also performed on the soundtrack for RTÉ drama, Showbands. She now works for a record label in London where she deals in promotions and is still an active songwriter. She is also involved with the Irish language television station, TG4
TG4
TG4 is a public service broadcaster for Irish language speakers. The channel has been on-air since 31 October 1996 in the Republic of Ireland and since April 2005 in Northern Ireland....
, where she has been working as a judge on the 4th series of its flagship talent show, Glas Vegas
Glas Vegas
Glas Vegas is an Irish language talent show. The series is produced by TG4. It is broadcast on Sunday evenings at 8.30pm. The series has a panel of judges to assess the quality of each act, the judges are Senator Eoghan Harris, Tom Ó Brannagáin and Molly Bhreathnach.The first series was a solely...
. The series began airing on TG4 in early 2010.
Cathy Newell was a judge on the 2005 Irish television show Star Stream Final, and is currently living and working in London.
Albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2001 | After the Rain
|
| 2004 | Spin the Wheel Spin the Wheel Spin the Wheel is the second album album by Irish girl group, Bellefire. It was first released in Asia around July 2004. Outside this region, the album did not do well and went unnoticed... |
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRE Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
NL |
SWI Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
|||
| 2001 | "Perfect Bliss Perfect Bliss "Perfect Bliss" was the Irish girl group Bellefire's debut single, taken from their album After the Rain. It peaked at #2 in Ireland.-Track listing:#"Perfect Bliss"#"Don't Let Me Down"#"Dancing Inside"... " |
2 | — | 34 | 18 | After the Rain |
| "Buzzstyle (Find My Way) Buzzstyle (Find My Way) "Buzzstyle " is a single by the Irish girl group Bellefire. It was released in 2001 in Japan only and was never intended for wider release. It is included on their debut album After the Rain.... " A |
— | — | — | — | ||
| 2002 | "All I Want Is You" | 2 | 88 | 76 | 18 | |
| 2004 | "Say Something Anyway Say Something Anyway "Say Something Anyway" was the Irish girl group Bellefire's first single release of their comeback as a 3-piece, after being signed by WEA. It is also included on their album Spin the Wheel. This single received quite a lot of airplay in Ireland , as well as the United Kingdom... " |
2 | — | — | 26 | Spin the Wheel |
| "You Were Meant for Me You Were Meant for Me (Jewel song) "You Were Meant for Me" is a folk pop song written by Jewel and Steve Poltz and performed by Jewel on her first album, Pieces of You. It relates the singer's incomprehension of a failed relationship, and her inadequate attempts at moving on with her life. It was the second single from that album... " B |
— | — | — | — | ||
| "Spin the Wheel" | 5 | — | — | 67 | ||
Notes
- A Song was exclusively released in Japan only.
- B EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an release of the song was canceled, but it was released in AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
Unreleased songs
A list of known unreleased songs- "Got Me By The Heart"
- "I Hope You Dance"
- "Turnaround"
- "Light My Fire"
- "Don't Leave The Light On"
- "For You" (rumour)