Whatever Happened To…Eternal?

19 January 2009

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Finding fame all the way back in 1993, the R&B girl group were considered as one of the most successful groups in the UK at the time. Eventually achieving global success as well, they reached a sales total of more than 10 million records.

Their debut single went into the Top 20 in America, which was not only a big achievement for them, but for any girl group in the early 90’s. This type of success was almost unheard of at the time considering the Spice Girls were yet to release Wannabe.

Sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett went to a club in 1992, meeting Kelle Bryan and Louise Nurding, better known now as Louise Redknapp. After getting together with the universal dream that they wanted to be in a girl group, they were signed to EMI records in 1993, when their career shot up faster than they had been together as a group. It was just that easy!

Not long after, the girls won the Smash Hits “Best Group” award as a result of their first single “Stay”. Their debut album “Always and Forever” was nominated for a Brit Award and sold over a million copies. They later became the first group to have 6 single off their debut album to reach the Top 15 in the UK charts.

The Londoners were a group up until 2000 officially, but their peak was in the earlier stages of their career. Although Louise was no longer a part of Eternal, the remaining 3 released a more R ‘n’ B oriented album in 2005 named Power of a Woman, which included 4 Top 10 singles; “Power of a woman”, “I am Blessed”, “Good Thing”, and “Secrets”.

Their third album in 1997 entitled Before the Rain gave the girls their first ever #1 single with “I wanna be the only one”. Due to bad marketing however, they also released their Greatest Hits album not long after, meaning sales for Before the Rain fell short.

Their Greatest Hits album however enjoyed great success. Not only was it 1997’s ninth best-selling album almost equalling the sales total of Radiohead’s OK Computer, but it was also the only EP to sell over a million copies and not reach #1. The album peaked at #2.

Considering that the girls were only successful for a handful of years, they certainly left their mark and are still played on many radio stations today. But after the first member to leave, Louise, went to pursue other paths, the group slowly slid out of the limelight.

Although rumours have circulated for some time regarding a reunion, with the busy schedule of the ‘celebrity’s’ new lifestyles, it has been deemed highly unlikely from the Bennett sisters. It was reported in 2006 that the girls had made up and were due to appear on a reunion tour with Boyz II Men and En Vogue, but it was apparently cancelled and they have never sang together since.

Louise Redknapp

Rumours surround Louise’s departure from the group, but she continues to claim that she left only for her solo career. It was claimed that she was asked to leave by the other members, so they could achieve better success over the pond in the States. These allegations have been denied by all four members. Making success for herself as a solo artist, she has also been made famous for her marriage, her TV presenting skills, and her figure.

Going on to release a number of Top 10 singles including “Light of My Life” and “Naked”, she also sold out two UK arena tours, under her first name only, Louise. The Clothes Show, SMTV Live, and CD UK are amongst some of her well known TV appearances and more recently she volunteered herself for ITV show The Truth About Size 0, where she had to undergo a serious exercise regime and crash diet, in order to drop down to the tiny size in only 30 days.

Named as the sexiest woman of the decade by FHM, Louise Redknapp is now a model and lives with footballer husband, Jamie Redknapp.