Louise Griffiths

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Louise Griffiths, (born 31 July 1978 in Hertfordshire, England), is a female pop singer and songwriter. She is the daughter of a London taxicab driver, and she also plays the saxophone. She first became famous as a contestant in the BBC television series, Fame Academy 2 in 2003, when it was revealed that she was the live-in girlfriend of British Formula 1 racing driver, Jenson Button.

[edit] Musical career

Before appearing on Fame Academy, Griffiths was a member of an all girl band, Orchid, who originally recorded the hit song Sound of the Underground in 2001. Their single was never released, but the song was later re-recorded by Louis Walsh's pop band Girls Aloud using Orchid's original backing tracks and backing vocals, for which they were never credited. The song became a #1 hit for Girls Aloud in 2002. Shortly after this Orchid split up.

In 2003 Griffiths was one of the first four students chosen by the public to appear on the second series of the BBC TV show Fame Academy. Despite complaints that her celebrity boyfriend and former recording and songwriting experience gave her an unfair advantage, she made it to the final eight before being voted out.

Although Griffiths did not get a recording contract after the show, one of the songs she co-wrote with fellow student Alistair Griffin, "The Heart Can't Lie", was included on his debut album Bring It On which reached #12 in the UK album chart in January 2004. Shortly after leaving the show it was reported that she had been given an unreleased song by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers to record, but this was never released. [1]

[edit] Personal life

She got engaged to Jenson Button soon after leaving the Academy in 2003, and regularly accompanied him to many motor racing events. Her unreleased single Catch me if you can, a song put together by producer Arnon Woolfson, producer of Formula 1's theme tune for ITV was used by ITV to close their TV coverage of the 2004 Australian Grand Prix. Button broke off the engagement in 2005, just 12 weeks before their wedding day, amidst much publicity from the British tabloid press. Although there were rumours that the couple were to be reconciled, this was denied. Later that year Griffiths was reported to be dating singer Craig David and she was also seen in St Tropez on a yacht with veteran actor Bruce Willis.

In December 2005 Griffiths announced her intention to move to America. She is negotiating for a record contract, and hopes to relaunch her music career in the US.