1987–1999: Betty Boo Clarkson studied
sound engineering at the
Holloway School of Audio Engineering before having several
hits between 1989 and 1992. Originally nicknamed "
Betty Boop" she had an unusual, striking
Emma Peel-like look, and the
She Rockers, the latter act who were signed to the British independent record label
Music of Life. The She Rockers' Her big break came when she appeared as a guest vocalist on the 1989 number 7 In 1991, her "Why, Oh Why?" 1950s-style love
ballad featured on the soundtrack of the American film
A Rage in Harlem. Her career suffered a setback when in July 1991, while touring Australia, Boo was revealed to be lip-synching at a concert rather than performing live. The 21st Century Dance Club in
Frankston, Australia received "hundreds of complaints" after her performance, during which Boo fled the stage after dropping her microphone, revealing she was miming to a backing track. The incident was widely reported, and Boo cancelled the remainder of her tour, citing influenza and fever. Boo returned with a new
record deal in 1992 having signed to
WEA. Despite working to create "an album of experimental yet accessible 21st century pop", In June 2011, Clarkson featured as Betty Boo (and is credited) on the track "Virtually Art" by
the Feeling on the
double-album edition of their 2011 release,
Together We Were Made. In July 2014, Betty Boo performed on stage at the Penn Festival, while in 2021 she was announced as one of the artists performing as part of the Let's Rock retro music festival line-ups, at various dates throughout the UK.
2022–present: Return to music On 10 January 2022, Boo announced the release of the single "Get Me to the Weekend". The second single "Shining Star", was released on 12 May 2022. Her first album in 30 years,
Boomerang, was released on 14 October 2022. On 14 June 2024, Boo released the single "It Was Beautiful" (featuring HEX) from her fourth album
Rip Up the Rulebook. ==Songwriter==