Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox, Scottish singer and women’s activist, 1954-present

As the lead singer of the Eurythmics, Annie Lennox invented the eery, brooding synth-pop sound of 1980s New Wave. A gifted and powerful singer known for her gender-bending outfits, Lennox continues to push boundaries and fight for gender equality through her foundation, The Circle, a global NGO. Songs such as "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," "Love Is a Stranger," "Who's That Girl," and "Here Comes the Rain Again" were international hits, and defined a generation.

Lennox was born on Christmas Day and raised in Aberdeen, Scotland. The daughter of a shipyard worker and cook, she learned to play the piano and the flute at a young age while her father played the bagpipes. She won a scholarship to London’s Royal Academy of Music where she added the harpsichord to her repertoire, but dropped out three days before final exams. Turns out she didn’t need that piece of paper after all. 

In the late 1970s, gigging around London, she met guitarist Dave Stewart and joined his band, The Tourists, releasing three albums in short order. Lennox and Stewart became lovers, and broke off together to form The Eurythmics. They set up their own recording studio in a 16th Century London church. The pair fought often, but their musical collaboration flourished, composing “Sweet Dreams” together one afternoon while they weren’t on speaking terms. 

Lennox’s musical influences are diverse, spanning from Joni Mitchell to Stevie Wonder. At the Grammy’s one year she walked onstage to sing "Sweet Dreams" dressed as Elvis Presley, complete with sideburns. Lennox held her own in a famous duet with Aretha Franklin singing the feminist anthem "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves."

After a 14-month starter marriage to a German Hare Krishna, Lennox married filmmaker Uri Fruchtamn. In 1988 their first child was stillborn. Lennox announced she was taking two years off to have another child and the Eurythmics quietly disbanded. Meanwhile, she was gearing up to release her first solo album, Diva, which was nominated for three Grammy awards. Her second album, Medusa, produced the hit song “No More I Love You’s.”

At the 76th Academy Awards, Lennox performed and took home the award for Best Song for "Into the West" from Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Lennox has dedicated her life to women’s causes and to her two daughters. She co-produced her daughter Lola Lennox’s recently released single, “Love Like That.” Her other daughter, Tali, is a Burberry model. 

In May, 2022 The Eurythmics were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

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