Katrina & The Waves

Katrina & The Waves were a Cambridge-based rock band active from 1981 to 1999. The band formed around the songwriting of guitarist Kimberley Rew and the powerful vocals of American-born Katrina Leskanich, and went on to win the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest with “Love Shine a Light”. However, their story stretches far beyond that moment. They built a loyal following across two decades, toured the world, and left behind one of pop music’s most enduring anthems.

From Mama’s Cookin’ to The Waves

The band’s origins trace back to a pop cover band called Mama’s Cookin’, based in Feltwell, which featured American Katrina Leskanich on vocals and keyboards and fellow American Vince de la Cruz on vocals and guitar. In 1981, guitarist Kimberley Rew, formerly of influential punk act The Soft Boys, and drummer Alex Cooper joined the group. Rew initially fronted the band, but he gradually recognised Leskanich’s vocal power and began writing songs specifically for her, making her the primary lead singer. The band then renamed themselves Katrina and the Waves, and the classic lineup was complete.

Breaking Through with “Walking on Sunshine”

In early 1983, the band recorded an album of original material at their own expense and shopped it around to labels. Only Attic Records in Canada responded, so their debut album Walking on Sunshine came out exclusively in Canada.The title track picked up strong radio play and earned them a Canadian tour. As a result, major label interest grew quickly. Capitol Records signed them in 1985, and “Walking on Sunshine” became a global hit, reaching number 8 in the UK, number 9 in the US, number 3 in Canada, and number 4 in Australia. A Grammy nomination for Best New Artist followed. Further hits came with “Do You Want Crying”, “Que Te Quiero”, and “Sun Street”, which reached the UK Top 30 in 1986.

A Decade of Touring and Recording

Throughout the late 1980s, the band kept recording and touring relentlessly. They shared stages with artists including Wham!, The Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac, The Kinks, and Run DMC, and performed at venues like Madison Square Garden. In 1989, they recorded the more rock-oriented album Break of Hearts, which produced “That’s The Way”, a US chart hit. However, the band’s commercial momentum slowed as the 1990s progressed, and they recorded several more albums with modest results.

Eurovision 1997 and a Record-Breaking Win

In 1997, the band’s fortunes changed dramatically. They took the chance to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest, and their song “Love Shine a Light” won by a record points margin, making them the most credible victors since ABBA’s “Waterloo” in 1974. The victory produced four consecutive appearances on Top of the Pops and a number 3 chart position in the UK. A new deal with Warners also saw the release of their ninth album, Walk on Water, while EMI issued a best-of compilation of their Capitol-era songs.

Break-Up and Solo Paths

Despite the revival, the band could not sustain the momentum. Katrina Leskanich left the group in 1998 after internal disagreements, and the remaining members dissolved the band entirely in 1999. After the split, Leskanich pursued a busy solo career. She hosted her own show on BBC Radio 2, appeared as a TV presenter on BBC1’s Watchdog, and performed the lead role in the West End musical Leader of the Pack. She then released her debut solo album in 2005, followed by the studio album Blisland in 2014, and continued touring North America, Australia, South Africa, and Europe with various 80s-themed tours. In 2005 she did an attempt to represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest, but didn’t manage to get into the final of Melodifestivalen.

Legacy and “Walking on Sunshine” Today

Today, “Walking on Sunshine” remains one of the most recognisable pop songs ever recorded. The song has surpassed one billion streams on Spotify and attracts an average of six million monthly listeners. It appears regularly in films, adverts, and TV talent shows. Katrina Leskanich has maintained an active schedule of live performances and recording well into the 2020s, continuing to bring the band’s music to new audiences around the world. Katrina & The Waves may have disbanded, but their sunshine never faded.