Jemini

Jemini is a British pop duo from Liverpool, England, consisting of Chris Cromby and Gemma Abbey. They are best known for representing the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 with the song “Cry Baby,” where they infamously scored nul points. 

Early Life of Chris Cromby and Gemma Abbey

Chris Cromby and Gemma Abbey were both born in the early 1980s and grew up in Liverpool. In 1995, Chris and Gemma met at Liverpool’s Starlight Stage School, a local performing arts academy. They soon began performing together as part of the school’s kids’ roadshow, singing at Liverpool pubs and clubs to gain experience. 

Formation of Jemini

By age 16, after finishing school, Chris Cromby and Gemma Abbey officially formed a pop duo. Their first act was called Tricity, a name inspired by an electrical appliances brand. Under the name Tricity, they performed pop and Motown covers around the UK, entertaining crowds with renditions of songs by Stevie Wonder and ABBA, among others. They also began writing and performing some of their own original songs during this time. These formative years (around 1998–2001) honed their harmonies and stage presence as a duo.

When the pair turned 19, they decided to rebrand with a new name. They chose “Jemini,” a stylized spelling meant to sound like “Gem and I,” referencing Gemma’s name and their partnership. The name also evoked the zodiac sign Gemini (the twins), symbolizing the duo. Under the name Jemini, Chris and Gemma continued touring pubs and clubs for the next couple of years, building a local fan base and pursuing bigger opportunities. They remained based in Liverpool and were determined to break into the pop music scene.

Road to Eurovision 2003

By late 2002, Jemini got their big break. The duo entered BBC’s A Song for Europe competition in early 2003. This was the UK’s national selection contest to choose the Eurovision entry. Jemini’s entry was a pop song titled “Cry Baby,” written by Martin Isherwood, who was head of music at Sir Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. On 2 March 2003, Chris and Gemma performed “Cry Baby” on live television for A Song for Europe 2003. They were competing against other acts for the ticket to Eurovision. The British public voted by phone. Jemini won the national final, earning the honor to represent the UK at that year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Riga, Latvia.

This victory was a dream come true for the young duo. Gemma, especially, was thrilled since she had adored Eurovision since childhood. The win meant Jemini would perform on one of the world’s biggest music stages. In the lead-up to Eurovision, they did promotional appearances and rehearsals. Even Sir Paul McCartney reportedly sent them a good luck message before the contest. With high hopes, Chris and Gemma headed to Riga for the Eurovision final in May 2003, set to perform 15th on the night for the United Kingdom.

Eurovision 2003: “Cry Baby” and the Nul Points

The Eurovision Song Contest 2003 took place on 24 May 2003 in Riga, Latvia. On the big night, Jemini took the stage to perform “Cry Baby” in front of a huge international audience. Unfortunately, the performance did not go as planned. Jemini sang off-key during their live performance. Later, Chris and Gemma revealed that they had been unable to hear the backing track music due to a technical fault with the stage monitors. 

When the voting finished, Jemini received zero points – “nul points”. It was a historic low: the first time the UK had ever scored no points at Eurovision. The UK finished in last place (26th out of 26 countries) that evening. Their poor showing was a major shock for a country that had often done well at Eurovision in the past.

The “nul points” result for Jemini sparked a frenzy of reactions and excuses. Many British media outlets and fans were stunned and embarrassed. Multiple reasons were cited in the aftermath. Terry Wogan, the BBC’s veteran Eurovision commentator, speculated that political backlash against the UK’s involvement in the Iraq War might have influenced European voters. Jemini themselves maintained that technical problems were to blame, since they could not hear the music on stage. On the other hand, many critics (including UK tabloids and music experts) argued that the song simply wasn’t strong and the singing was poor, so the duo deserved the last place.

After Eurovision: Backlash and Break-Up

After Eurovision 2003, Jemini faced intense backlash and ridicule in the British press. The media criticized their performance and some outlets lampooned the duo for the zero points result. Chris and Gemma admitted that their singing had been off-key that night, but they continued to explain that a technical issue on stage was the cause, not a lack of talent. This explanation did little to satisfy their critics, and Jemini found themselves as a punchline in the UK for some time. The Eurovision fiasco even prompted debates about how the UK selected its entries and whether the process should be changed in the future.

In the months following the contest, Jemini’s professional music prospects quickly deteriorated. They were dropped by their record label (Integral Records) shortly after the contest. The duo had been working on an album, but with the Eurovision failure, their planned debut album was shelved and never released. The single “Cry Baby” did manage to chart at No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart despite everything, as curious listeners bought the song out of notoriety. However, it only stayed on the charts for three weeks. With no record deal and a tarnished reputation, Chris and Gemma decided to split up as a duo not long after the contest. By the end of 2003, Jemini had effectively disbanded.

Neither member immediately found success in the music industry after that. The “nul points” stigma made it difficult for them to be taken seriously as artists at the time. Apart from a brief attempt to promote “Cry Baby” after Eurovision, the pair largely retreated from the public eye to regroup from the experience.

Reunions and Later Appearances

For about a decade, Chris Cromby and Gemma Abbey kept low profiles in the music scene. However, interest in their Eurovision story remained. In May 2013, ten years after their infamous performance, Jemini reunited for a one-off TV interview. They appeared in a BBC Three documentary special called “How to Win Eurovision,” where they discussed what went wrong in 2003 and reflected on their experience. The reunion was good-natured, and both members showed a sense of humor and perspective about the event a decade on.

In 2014, Chris and Gemma teamed up again for another television appearance. They took part in a Eurovision-themed episode of Pointless Celebrities, a popular BBC quiz show. On this show, they competed as a team and once again poked fun at their Eurovision flop. These appearances allowed the duo to reconnect and also to reshape their public image, showing that they could laugh about the past. They remained in touch on friendly terms.

Outside of special Eurovision-related reunions, Jemini did not resume working together as a full-time musical act during those years. Their performances were limited to these nostalgia or trivia TV specials. Both Chris and Gemma settled into normal lives and new careers, particularly as the spotlight on their Eurovision moment gradually faded.

Life After Jemini: Chris Cromby

After the duo broke up in 2003, Chris Cromby moved away from pursuing a mainstream music career. In 2004, he began working for the fashion retailer Ted Baker. Over the years, Chris built a steady career in the retail industry. According to his LinkedIn profile, he rose through the ranks at Ted Baker and eventually became the company’s Global Retail Operations Manager. This role suggests he took on significant responsibilities in overseeing stores and operations worldwide for the brand.

Although Chris transitioned to a business career, he did not give up music entirely. He continued to perform and write music in his spare time as a hobby. Chris has recorded his own songs and even released a full album of original material on his SoundCloud page online. This indicates that while he might not be in the pop charts, music remains an important part of his life. Chris has also occasionally performed at local events, but largely he keeps a low public profile. As of the 2020s, Chris Cromby is still based in the UK (reportedly in Liverpool), balancing his professional career in retail with his passion for music on the side.

Life After Jemini: Gemma Abbey

Gemma Abbey also moved on to a new life chapter after Jemini’s split. In the years following Eurovision, Gemma focused on her personal life and entrepreneurship. She became a mother (Gemma now has three children) and she decided to start her own business. In 2010, Gemma established a make-up business in Liverpool. This venture allowed her to step away from the glare of showbusiness and build a stable livelihood.

However, Gemma’s post-Jemini life was not without challenges. In 2016, she faced legal trouble related to financial misconduct. Gemma Abbey was charged with social security fraud after it was discovered that she had made false claims for government tax credits totaling over £67,000. In November 2016, she pleaded guilty to the false claims. The court case concluded with Gemma receiving a 30-week suspended prison sentence, meaning she avoided jail time but was under a probation supervision order for a year. 

After resolving the legal issues, Gemma turned things around and returned to music in a local capacity. In 2017, she joined a Liverpool dance music group called Ultrasonix as the lead singer. With Ultrasonix, Gemma started performing on stage again, this time doing dance/electronic music shows. This marked a small comeback to performing for her, though on a regional level rather than national television. As of the late 2010s and early 2020s, Gemma Abbey continues to live in the Liverpool area. She balances her time as a mother and business owner with her involvement in music through the Ultrasonix project.

20th Anniversary Comeback and Recent Activity

In 2023, two decades after their Eurovision night, Jemini re-emerged for a surprise comeback. With Liverpool hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 (on behalf of Ukraine), there was renewed local interest in past UK acts like Jemini. Chris Cromby and Gemma Abbey decided to reform Jemini in 2023 to mark the 20th anniversary of their Eurovision appearance. They made several appearances around Liverpool during the Eurovision festivities, including performing at fan events and giving radio interviews.

Most significantly, in May 2023 Jemini released a brand new single titled “Constantly.” The release of “Constantly” was intentionally timed with the Eurovision 2023 Grand Final in Liverpool. The song was co-written by Martin Isherwood (the same writer of “Cry Baby”) and songwriter Stephen Parker. Chris and Gemma described “Constantly” as a track that “picks up where they left off two decades ago,” essentially a nod to their pop style from 2003. This new single was the duo’s first new music release since “Cry Baby” in 2003. Fans and curious listeners could stream the song online, and it served as a way for Jemini to create a new musical chapter beyond the old nul-points story.

The 20th anniversary mini-comeback showed that Jemini still have a place in Eurovision folklore and that they retain a sense of camaraderie. While it is unclear if Chris and Gemma plan to continue recording or performing regularly as Jemini, the anniversary reunion demonstrated their enduring friendship and willingness to embrace their pop duo legacy.