Born on 18 June: Alison Moyet, the journey of an unconventional diva

She was born in 1961 in Billericay, Essex (England) and has brought a touch of soul to English synthpop since the 1980s.

Endowed with a powerful contralto voice, it's no exaggeration to say she made quite an impression in her earliest, largely punk-orientated bands, to which she brought her distinctive tremolo. Whether it was The Vandals or the aptly named The Screamin’ Ab Dab, all were consigned to the mists of history. Despite numerous disappearances from the scene, whether voluntary or otherwise, Alison Moyet has most certainly endured!

A few weeks after leaving Depeche Mode, Vince Clarke was the only one to reply to her advert. Together, they formed Yazoo in 1981. The adventure ended abruptly after two years of staggering success with tracks like "Only You", "Don’t Go", "Situation" and "Nobody’s Diary". The (artistic) split was deeply painful for Alison, however. "Vince was looking for a singer who was utterly different from Dave Gahan. That chance meeting was an utter coincidence. My vocal style was more influenced by male singers and a gritty kind of blues. Nothing really soft or feminine, but that’s precisely what Vince wanted for Yazoo".

The duo split in 1983, after just two albums, "Upstairs At Eric’s" (1982) and "You And Me Both" (1983), which remain key landmarks of the genre.

After overcoming some legal wrangling with her former label and battling the beginnings of depression bordering on a form of agoraphobia, she naturally returned to success two years later. Built on hits like "Love Resurrection" and "All Cried Out", her debut album, "Alf" (1984), topped the charts in her home country. Every three or four years, she’d go on to record another album, with ever-loyal fans applauding her every move. "Raindancing" (1987), "Hoodoo" (1991) and "Essex" (1994) were added to a discography that continues to explore pop, soul, and jazz to this day. Though her voice has undeniably mellowed with time, she has every reason to be proud of her ten albums so far. Suitably melancholic and crafted for her current tone, her latest, "Key", came out in 2024.

Frequently subject to negative comments about her appearance for many years, the singer has openly discussed her weight-loss journey in the British media. Appearing on the BBC in 2013, she explained that her decision was motivated not by industry pressure, but by her own health and well-being. "I didn’t do it to please anyone else. I did it for myself, to feel comfortable in my own skin".

While she was never considered a fashion icon, Alison Moyet nonetheless performed at the closing of the Burberry show in London on 21 September 2015. The British collection was then overseen by her friend Christopher Bailey.

(MH with Stéphane Soupart - Photo: © Etienne Tordoir)

Photo: Portrait of Alison Moyet in Leuven (Belgium) in 1985