BIOGRAPHY

It's June 1988, 1 a.m. Inside the dark, whitewashed interior of Soho's trendiest club, a man stands at the bar surveying the pandemonium on the dance floor. In the middle of the throng of sweaty bodies, all moving in time to the beat, he catches sight of a lush young woman. He gulps his drink and takes in her energetic, grinding gyrations, watching with amusement as a crowd slowly gathers around her. He makes his way through the crowd for a closer inspection, his eyes trained upon her: her golden skin, blue Bambi eyes and a smile straight from an American toothpaste ad. Fumbling in his jacket, he pulls out a business card and taps the girl on the shoulder.

'Can you sing as well as you dance?' he asks.

'Yeah, of course I can,' she replies, with a confidence that will serve her well in years to come.

'I'm Denis Ingoldsby. I'm a manager, and I'm looking for young, female singers. If you really can sing, call me,' he says, giving her the card. 'So, what's your name?'

'Louise,' she says, viewing him cautiously.

'Well, Louise,' he says, 'let me tell you, one day you could be as big as Madonna.'

('Louise: My Story', Kate Thornton and Jane Preston)

And so began the musical career of Louise, one of the most talented singers the UK - the world - has ever produced.

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