Honeyz
British R&B girl group with five UK top-10 hits.
Honeyz are a British R&B girl group formed in 1997, currently consisting of Célena Cherry, Heavenli Abdi, and touring member Candace Cherry. They achieved five UK top-10 hits between 1998 and 2000, and their only album, Wonder No.8, was certified gold by the BPI.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- London, England
- Genre
- R&B
- pop
- soul
- Years active
- 1997–2003; 2005–2010; 2012–present
- Label
- Mercury
- 1st Avenue
- Def Jam
- Past members
- Naima Belkhiati; Mariama Goodman
- Current members
- Célena Cherry; Heavenli Abdi
Facts from the source article.
History
In 1997, a friend told Célena Cherry about auditions for a girl group being held by First Avenue Management and convinced her to try out. Cherry got in and, together with Heavenli Abdi, who was already with the management company, became a duo signed to Mercury Records as Essence. They were marketed as an R&B alternative to the Spice Girls and a direct competitor to Destiny's Child. Abdi later explained they saw a gap for a younger, vibey pop R&B group and looked up to En Vogue.
Cherry felt Essence was just okay but not quite right. One night after leaving the club Subterranea, a man shouted at them, which gave them the idea for a new name. First Avenue Management then brought in French-born Naima Belkhiati as a third member. On the 2013 show The Big Reunion, Abdi said she was let down that Belkhiati wasn't a strong singer, as the management cared more about appearance than the three-part harmonies she and Cherry wanted, and made Cherry the lead vocalist.
Their first single, "Finally Found," came out in August 1998, reached number four on the UK Singles Chart, and sold over 350,000 copies. The next single, "End of the Line," sold about as well and peaked at number five. Their debut album, Wonder No.8, went gold in the UK with over 200,000 copies sold. Outside the UK, they played with a full live orchestra in the Netherlands, performed for 8,000 people at ChildLine in Dublin, sang a duet with Lionel Richie in Italy, and their first two singles went double platinum in Australia.
In the US, they signed with Def Jam/Island. They also appeared on the French version of Foxy Brown's single "J.O.B." and worked with producer Stevie J.
Members
Célena Cherry, born 26 April 1977 in Hammersmith, London, fronts the Honeyz as lead singer. She later formed Anotherside with her cousin Alani, putting out a single, "This Is Your Night," on V2 Records. Her first solo album, Celena Cherry, came out in 2005 via her own website. She has also acted, with roles in the soaps Hollyoaks and Doctors.
Heavenli Roberts, born 10 November 1974 in Paddington, London, was an original Honeyz member alongside Cherry and Naima Belkhiati. She left after the first two singles but returned several times, most recently departing for a third time in summer 2014. She holds a BA in ceramic design from Central Saint Martins, co-owns and co-directs the Algarve International School, writes a column for Algarve Lifestyle Magazine, and occasionally sings with the Algarve Jazz Orchestra.
A qualified aerobics instructor, she once ran the Algarve Juniors children's choir. She has four children—Daisy-Mae, Jayden, Honey, and Zachary—and previously dated Peter Andre and Matthew Marsden. Naima Belkhiati, born 4 December 1973 in Avignon, France, was also an original Honeyz member. After the group disbanded, she appeared in two 2006 films: Alien Autopsy and Heroes and Villains.
Mariama Goodman, born 25 December 1977 in London, started her pop career in 1996 with Solid Harmonie on Jive Records in the US. She left that group in 1999, returned to the UK, and joined the Honeyz, replacing Heavenli Roberts. Goodman announced her own departure in August 2000, then reunited with the Honeyz for ITV2's The Big Reunion in 2013. She is a trained midwife working for the NHS, has one daughter, and married actor Andrew-Lee Potts on 20 August 2014.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Honeyz from?
Honeyz originated in London, England.
What genre of music does Honeyz play?
Honeyz's music is classified as R&B, pop and soul.
More in British Contemporary R&B Musical Groups
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