Javine

Javine Hylton was born on 27 December 1981 in West London. She grew up with her mother and sister in Ladbroke Grove. As a child she loved music – her mother’s soul and reggae records inspired her. Javine was a talented performer from a young age. At 10, she earned an arts scholarship, and by 18 she was cast as Nala in Disney’s The Lion King musical in London’s West End. For two years she studied and performed on stage every night, gaining valuable experience. In 2002, Javine’s big break came when she auditioned for the TV talent show Popstars: The Rivals. She became very popular and reached the final six female singers. In a surprise result, Javine narrowly missed out on a spot in the girl group that became Girls Aloud. This “controversial exit” upset many viewers, as Javine had been expected to win a place. Although she was disappointed, major record labels noticed her talent and offered her deals within days. This launched Javine’s solo music career.

Javine debuted as a solo artist in summer 2003. Her first single “Real Things” was a hit, reaching number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. The song sampled M.O.P.’s “Ante Up” and became her biggest hit. She followed up with three more Top 20 singles from her debut album Surrender: “Surrender (Your Love)”, “Best of My Love,” and a double A-side cover of “Don’t Walk Away” (by Jade) with “You’ve Got a Friend”. All these songs did fairly well on the charts. Javine released her album Surrender in 2004. Despite the hit singles and working with big-name producers like Stargate, the album itself only barely made it onto the UK Albums Chart. The modest album sales caused her record label to drop her in late 2004. Even so, Javine remained a familiar name in UK pop due to her string of popular singles and energetic R&B style.

In 2005, Javine entered Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up, the UK’s national contest to choose a Eurovision entry. She performed “Touch My Fire,” a catchy dance-pop song with bhangra (Bollywood-style) influences that she co-wrote. Javine won the selection on 5 March 2005. This made her the United Kingdom’s representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2005. Javine’s Eurovision performance was bold and upbeat. She wore a revealing gold costume and delivered lively choreography. There was even a slight “wardrobe malfunction” during the UK heat performance when the tape on her dress came loose. In the Eurovision final on 21 May 2005, Javine sang and danced to “Touch My Fire” amidst a fiery red stage setting.  Out of 24 finalists, the UK finished 22nd. Despite the low placement, “Touch My Fire” became Javine’s fifth consecutive Top 20 hit in the UK when released as a single, reaching number 18 on the chart.

After Eurovision, Javine stayed in the public eye through various projects. In 2006 she took part in Channel 4’s celebrity sports show The Games and won the competition. She appeared on a special Christmas edition of the music quiz Never Mind the Buzzcocks in 2006, and in 2007 she participated in BBC’s Celebrity Scissorhands, a charity show. In 2008 Javine joined the reality program The Underdog Show, though she was the first contestant eliminated. She made a brief acting cameo in the TV drama Skins in 2009. Javine also appeared on Celebrity Come Dine with Me in 2010 (finishing second) and tried her hand at cooking on Celebrity MasterChef in 2012. She remained involved in music occasionally. In 2013, Javine released a dance track called “Never” with DJ group WAWA, which earned positive reviews in the pop music press. Over the years, Javine has largely stepped back from the pop star life to focus on family. She has a daughter (born in 2008) and a son from her personal relationships.