Elaine Paige

Elaine Jill Paige OBE, born Bickerstaff on March 5, 1948, is a distinguished English singer and actress renowned for her significant contributions to musical theatre. Hailing from Barnet, Hertfordshire, she honed her craft at the Aida Foster Theatre School, making her professional stage debut at just 16 years old in 1964. Her breakthrough came with the 1968 production of Hair, marking her entrance into the West End.

Paige gained widespread recognition when she portrayed Eva Perón in Andrew Lloyd Webber's groundbreaking musical Evita in 1978, earning the Laurence Olivier Award for Performance of the Year in a musical. She is also celebrated for originating the role of Grizabella in Cats, with her rendition of "Memory" achieving Top 10 success.

In 1985, she recorded "I Know Him So Well" alongside Barbara Dickson, which became the best-selling single by a female duo. Paige continued to shine in the original production of Chess and took the lead in the co-produced Anything Goes. Her Broadway debut in 1996 as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard was met with critical acclaim, followed by performances in The King and I and The Drowsy Chaperone.

Over her illustrious career, Paige has garnered five Laurence Olivier Award nominations and numerous accolades, earning the title of the First Lady of British Musical Theatre. With 22 solo albums, including multiple gold and platinum records, she has left a lasting mark on the industry. Since 2004, she has hosted "Elaine Paige on Sunday" on BBC Radio 2. Celebrating 50 years in show business in 2014, she announced a farewell concert tour and the album The Ultimate Collection. Outside her artistic pursuits, Paige serves as vice-president for The Children's Trust, a charity dedicated to children with brain injuries.