CLAIRE JOHNSTON


Claire Johnston was born in England and came to South Africa at the age of three. She cut her professional teeth in the Brickhill Burke production of Annie at the age of ten, in which she sang, danced and acted. At 15, Claire won a singing scholarship with the late Eve Boswell. She joined Mango Groove in her final year of school and quickly became a household name in South Africa as the face and voice of the group. Mango Groove has had an enormous impact on South Africans and they have built a large following abroad. The band has sold over 7000 000 albums in South Africa alone.

Claire traveled widely internationally with Mango Groove, performing to sell-out shows in London, Paris, Hong Kong and Sydney to name a few. Amongst her career highlights are the satellite linked Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, the Inauguration of President Nelson Mandela, topping the bill at the Montreaux Jazz Festival and the concert celebrating the 1997 hand over of Hong Kong to China. Locally Claire has graced the covers of dozens of top magazines, she has had numerous television and radio appearances and performances with Mango Groove whose air-play has been more representative than any other group's in South African history.

Claire's debut solo album, Fearless was largely recorded in the UK. The album's deliciously textured and evocative sound shows a new side to Claire. One of the album's producers, Vic Coppersmith-Heaven, has collaborated with artists Joe Cocker, the Rolling Stones and Elton John while Marius de Vries, who co-produced Fearless is renowned for his work with David Bowie, Bjork and Madonna. He also composed and produced the soundtrack albums for Romeo and Juliet and Moulin Rouge.

Claire has become a symbol of unity for all South Africans. She was involved in the SA Olympic bid, the 1999 All Africa Games Celebrations and she sang the national anthems at the 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2001 Tri-Nations Rugby.
Claire and Mango Groove are still very much an item. A Mango Groove Greatest Hits collection has just been released worldwide.