Keren Woodward


Keren Jane Woodward is an English pop singer and songwriter and founding member of the British girl group Bananarama, along with Sara Dallin and Siobhan Fahey. In 1986, they reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with their version of "Venus". Woodward has been a member of Bananarama for over 40 years.

Early life

Woodward is a classically-trained pianist; she sang in choirs and performed in amateur dramatics with Dallin, whom she has known since childhood. After leaving school, Woodward worked at the BBC in Portland Place, London.

Career

Woodward formed Bananarama with Dallin and Fahey, releasing their first single "Aie a Mwana" in 1981. They went on to have a string of UK top ten hits and top the American charts in 1986 with "Venus". Fahey left the band in 1988, to be replaced by Jacquie O'Sullivan, who left in 1991.
Woodward and Dallin performed as a duo from 1991 to 2017. They reunited with Fahey in April 2017 and received the Icon Award at the Glamour Awards in June 2017. The trio toured the UK in November and December 2017 and North America in February 2018. They performed their final dates as a trio in August 2018.

Personal life

In 1986, she had a son, Thomas, with model David Scott-Evans. In 1990, Woodward began dating Andrew Ridgeley, formerly one half of the musical duo Wham! They lived together with her son in a 15th-century converted barn in Wadebridge in North Cornwall. They ended their relationship in November 2017, but reunited in December 2019.