All Saints

All Saints were an English-Canadian girl group. Founded at the end of 1993 as All Saints 1.9.7.5, the group consisted of founding members Melanie Blatt and Shaznay Lewis, and sisters Nicole Appleton and Natalie Appleton. They became one of the most successful British pop groups of the 1990s, with nine Top 10 singles, five number ones, two platinum albums, two gold albums and record sales in excess of 10 million worldwide.



Both Melanie Blatt and Shaznay Lewis started their career by singing backing vocals at Sarm West Studios, the ZTT recording studios near All Saints Road, London. In 1993 Blatt, Lewis and the original third member Simone Rainford decided to record together and chose to call themselves All Saints 1.9.7.5. after the street where they met and their year of birth. They were signed to ZTT Records.

In 1994, All Saints 1.9.7.5. performed for their first time at the Touch Magazine stage at the Notting Hill Carnival. They released two singles together, but they were not successful. Additionally, Rainford and Blatt had conflicting visions of the band's musical direction which caused tensions in the band.

In the summer of 1995, Rainford left the band and ZTT Records dropped the remaining duo from their label. Regardless, Blatt and Lewis set out to find a replacement for Rainford. Conducting many auditions, Blatt's father met Nicole Appleton whom she knew from her days at the Sylvia Young Theatre School. Appleton's sister Natalie subsequently became a fourth member of the group.