Our 25 Most Famous British Female Singers Now list will look at British female singers who are famous now. We will look at talented British female singers who have made an impact in music for the past 20 years. Their styles range from rock, rap, pop, soul and dance. Some of the female singers have gotten their start on reality shows while others have gotten it through social media. These talented women have amazing voices and fans can’t get enough of them. The UK has had a long history of producing amazing and talented female artists. This 25 Most Famous British Female Singers Now list will feature some of the most gifted singers from the UK.
# 25 – Ella Henderson
The 25th pick on our 25 Most Famous British Female Singers Now list is Ella Henderson. She is a singer and songwriter. She got her start by appearing on The X Factor UK. She may not have won the competition, but she won something better. She got a record contract. Her debut album Chapter One came out in October 2014 and peaked at number one in the UK. The album features three chart-topping singles. The singles are “Ghost,” “Glow” and “Yours.”
She also appeared on the hit singles “Glitterball,” “Here for You,” “This Is Real,” “We Got Love,” “Let’s Go Home Together,” “Crazy What Love Can Do,” “21 Reasons” and “React.” She is proof that you don’t have to win a reality show in order to become a star. Ella Henderson went on to become a star without winning the show. She has a gift for writing and for picking the best songs. She has won awards throughout her career. She has headlined and co-headlined tours.
# 24 – Jorja Smith
The 24th pick on our 25 Most Famous British Female Singers Now list is Jorja Smith. She is a singer and songwriter. She has been writing songs since she was 11. She was discovered when her friend uploaded her cover of Labrinth’s song “Earthquake” to YouTube. Her claim to fame is her debut album Lost & Found. The album was released in June 2018. The album peaked at number three on the UK Albums charts and number one on the UK Independent charts. The album cracked the Billboard 200 at number 41. Lost & Found went gold.
Her hit singles include “Blue Lights,” “Where Did I Go?,” “Teenage Fantasy” and “February 3rd.” ”Blue Lights” had over 400,000 streams on SoundCloud within a month. In addition to her own hit singles, she worked with Drake. She recorded vocals on his More Life mixtape. She also co-wrote and performed the song “I Am” for the Black Panther soundtrack. She is an award-winning artist who doesn’t stick to one genre of music. You never know what you are going to get with Jorja Smith.
# 23 – M.I.A.
The 23rd pick on our 25 Most Famous British Female Singers Now list is M.I.A. She is a rapper and singer. She is an eclectic artist. She records alternative, dance, electronic, hip-hop and world music. She records something for everyone. She got her start as an underground artist before she made it big. M.I.A. is one of the first acts to get attention through the Internet. Her first two albums Arular (2005) and Kala (2007) received critical acclaim.
Her single “Paper Plane” peaked at number four on the Hot 100. It sold over four million copies. Her controversial single “Born Free” was her highest charting song. It reached the Top 10 in several countries. Her fourth album Matangi included the single “Bad Girls.” She won an award for the single. She has a number one single with Travis Scott called “Franchise.” She is a talented artist who has won numerous awards throughout her career.
# 22 – Rita Ora
Rita Ora rose to fame by being a guest on DJ Fresh’s number one single “Hot Right Now.” Her debut album Ora peaked at number one in the UK. This album went platinum in the UK. She had the most number one singles on the UK charts in 2012. “Hot Right Now,” “R.I.P.” and “How We Do (Party)” peaked at number one on the UK Singles charts. Her other hit singles include “Your Song,” “Anywhere,” “Let Me Love You,” “I Will Never Let You Down,” “Poison,” “For You,” “Let You Love Me” and “Ritual.”
Rita Ora’s album Phoenix peaked at number 11 on the UK charts. It peaked at number 79 on Billboard 200. The album went gold. She stands out because she is a triple threat. She is a singer, actress and designer. She also does charity work. You can read more about Rita Ora in our Top 10 Rita Ora Songs article.
# 21 – Jessie J
Jessie J rose to fame after the release of her debut album Who You Are. The album peaked at number two on the UK charts and number 11 on Billboard 200. The album went platinum. The album features the hit singles “Do It Like a Dude,” “Price Tag,” “Nobody’s Perfect,” “Who’s Laughing Now” and “Who You Are.” All of these singles peaked in the Top 20 on the UK Singles charts.
Jessie J is the first British female artist to have six or more Top 10 hits in the UK. Her second album Alive was also successful. It features the Top 5 singles “Wild” and “It’s My Party.” The amazing artist has sold over 20 million singles and 3 million albums worldwide. Jessie J is known for her powerful vocals and versatile music.
# 20 – Laura Marling
Laura Marling is a folk singer and song writer. She released her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim in 2008. The album peaked at number 45 on the UK charts. The album had critical and commercial success. She won several awards for the album. Some of her hit singles include “Ghosts,” “Cross Your Fingers,” “Held Down,” “Sophia,” “Rambling Man,” “Devil’s Spoke,” “False Hope,” “5 Years Time,” “Young Love” and “Dancing in the Dark.” Her album I Speak Because I Can, A Creature I Don’t Know, Once I Was an Eagle and Semper Fenima all received critical acclaim. She is known for her powerful voice. She has an amazing ability to connect with her audience through her music. Laura Marling is one of the most successful and influential British singers of her generation.
# 19 – Lily Allen
Lily Allen is a singer, songwriter and actress. She is the daughter of actor Keith Allen and producer Alison Owen. Her first big single “Smile” reached number one on the UK Singles charts. Lily Allen’s debut album Alright, Still sold over two million copies worldwide. The hit album features the singles “Smile,” “Alfie” and “LDN” This album helped establish her as an artist in the British music scene.
Her follow-up album It’s Not Me, It’s You was also a success. The album peaked at number one on the UK charts and number nine on Billboard 200. This album features the hit singles “The Fear,” “Not Fair,” “22” and “Who’d Have Known.” She was nominated for Grammys and won a Brit Award. Lily Allen was one of the women who helped establish the Year of the Women in 2009. She is known for writing about controversial topics.
# 18 – Ella Mai
Ella Mai got her start in music when her EP Troubled was discovered on social media by record producer Mustard. Her debut album featured the hit singles “Boo’d Up,” and “Trip.” ‘Boo’d Up” reached the Top 5 on the Hot 100 charts. “Trip” peaked at number 11 on the Hot 100 charts. Her other hit singles include “She Don’t,” “10,000 Hours,” “Naked,” “Shot Clock,” “Keeps on Falling,” “24/7,” “Don’t Waste My Time,” “Whatchamacallit,” as well as other hits. Her albums peaked in the Top 40 on Billboard 200. She has worked with musical heavyweights such as Babyface, Usher, Chris Brown, John Legend, Ty Dolla $ign, Meek Mill, H.E.R., Ed Sheeran and Latto. Ella Mai has won several awards throughout her career. She is popular because she is full of self-confidence and has an appreciation for 90s music.
# 17 – Paloma Faith
Paloma Faith is a singer and actress. Her debut album Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? peaked at number nine on the UK charts. The album was certified double platinum in the UK. It features the singles “Stone Cold Sober” and “New York.” Her second album Fall to Grace peaked at number two on the UK charts. The album went double platinum in the UK. It features the hit singles “Picking Up the Pieces” and “Never Tear Us Apart.” She was nominated for awards for this album.
Paloma Faith’s third album A Perfect Contradiction is her most successful album to date. It peaked at number two on the UK charts. It features the hit singles “Can’t Rely on You” and “Only Love Can Hurt Like This. Her fourth album The Architect debuted at number one on the UK charts. It features the hit singles “Crybaby” and “Make Your Own Kind of Music.” Her hit single “Lullaby” appears on the Zeitgeist edition of Architect. Infinite Things peaked at number four on the UK charts. She is known for her unique voice and eclectic style. You can read more about Paloma Faith in our Top 10 Paloma Faith Songs article.
# 16 – Ellie Goulding
Ellie Goulding rose to fame when her debut album Lights was released. The album debuted at number one on the UK charts. It peaked at number 21 on Billboard 200. The album features the hit singles “Your Song” and “Lights.” “Your Song” peaked at number two on the UK Singles charts. “Lights” peaked at number two on Billboard 200. This is her highest charted single in the US to date. Her second album Halcyon peaked at number one on the UK charts and number nine on Billboard 200. It features the singles “Anything Can Happen,” “Figure 8,” “Explosions” and “I Need Your Love.”
The album charted on the UK charts for 65 weeks. Her third album Delirium peaked at number three on the UK charts and Billboard 200. It features the hit singles “On My Mind,” “Army” and “Something in the Way You Move.” Her album Brightest Blue peaked at number one on the UK charts. It features the hit singles “Worry About Me,” “Power,” “Slow Grenade” and “Love I’m Given.” Four of her albums reached number one on the UK albums charts. Her albums went gold or platinum. She is one of the few British female artists who has the most singles on the US charts. Fans love her because of her vibrato and breathy tone.
# 15 – Charli XCX
The next pick on our 25 Most Famous British Female Singers Now list is Charli XCX. The fabulous singer Charli XCX is a singer and songwriter. She gained popularity when she collaborated with Icona Pop on the single “I Love It.” The song was an international hit. She appeared in Iggy Azalea’s hit single “Fancy” which was one of the best-selling singles in 2014. The song was nominated for two Grammy Awards. The same year, she released the hit single “Boom Clap.” It was her first solo Top 10 hit in the US.
The year 2014 was a good year for her as far as her singles go. She released two more hit singles “Break the Rules” and “Doing It.” Her claim to fame happened when she release her fifth album Crash. It is her most commercially successful album to date. The album peaked at number one on the UK charts and number seven on Billboard 200. It was named as one of the best albums of the year. Charli XCX has written songs for Iggy Azalea, Selena Gomez, Blondie, Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello, Sigala and Rita Ora. She is known for her unconventional fashion sense and her eclectic music style.
# 14 – Jess Glynne
Jess Glynne is a singer and songwriter. She rose to fame when she appeared in the singles “Rather Be” by Clean Bandit and “My Love” by Route 94. Both of the singles peaked at number one. Her debut album I Cry When I Laugh debuted at number one on the UK charts. The album features the hit singles “Hold My Hand” and “Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself.”
Her second album Always in Between peaked at number one on the UK charts. It features the hit singles “I’ll Be There,” “These Days,” “All I Am,” “Thursday” and “One Touch.” These singles helped make her one of the first British female solo artists to have seven number one singles on the UK charts. She has headlined three tours and counting. She also supported Beyonce and the Spice Girls on their tours. Jess Glynne was picked as one of the most influential artists in 2019. She is popular because of her soulful vocals.
# 13 – Anne-Marie
Anne-Marie is a singer and songwriter. She is known for her hit singles “Rockabye,” “Alarm,” “Ciao Adios,” “Friends,” “2002,” “Do It Right,” “Rewrite the Stars,” “Psycho,” “Don’t Play” and “Kiss My (Uh-Oh).” Her debut album Speak Your Mind peaked at number three on the UK charts and number 31 on Billboard 200. The album went platinum. Her album Therapy peaked at number two on the UK charts. Anne-Marie has worked with Ed Sheeran, Marshmallow, Niall Horan, Neiked, Latto, David Guetta, Nick Jonas, Shania Twain, Doja Cat, as well as others. She is popular because she writes songs about self-acceptance and empowerment.
# 12 – Birdy
Birdy is a singer and songwriter. She rose to fame with her cover of Bon Iver’s song “Skinny Love.” The single was a viral hit. The song charted all over Europe and was certified platinum. Her self-titled album peaked at number one in Australia, Belgium and the Netherlands. It features the hit singles “People Help the People” and “1901.” The album sold over one million copies worldwide.
Her second album Fire Within peaked at number eight on the UK charts, number 24 on Billboard 200 and number one on the folk charts. It features the hit singles “Wings,” “Light Me Up” and “Words as Weapons.” Her other hit singles include “Let It All Go,” “Keeping Your Head Up,” “Wild Horses” and “Find Me.” Her songs have appeared in movies and soundtracks. She is popular with fans because she knows how to make cover songs her own. She also plays by her own rules.
# 11 – Cheryl
Cheryl is a singer and television personality. She rose to fame as a member of the girl group Girls Aloud. She started a solo career in 2009. Five of her singles reached number one on the UK Singles charts. the singles are “Fight for This Love,” “Promises,” “Call My Name,” “Crazy Stupid Love” and “I Don’t Care.” Her other hit singles include “3 Words,” “Parachute,” “The Flood,” “Under the Sun,” “Love Made Me Do It” and “Heartbreaker.” Cheryl was the first British female artist to have multiple singles on the UK charts. Her albums went silver or better. Her best-selling album is 3 Words. She was considered one of the best dressed and sexiest women in the world. She is known for her emotional singing.
# 10 – Duffy
The 10th pick on our 25 Most Famous British Female Singers Now list is Duffy. Duffy is a singer, songwriter and actress. Her debut album Rockferry was number one in the UK and number four on Billboard 200. It features the hit singles “Mercy,” “Warwick Avenue,” “Stepping Stone” and “Rain on My Parade.” “Mercy” peaked at number one on several charts. “Warwick Avenue” went platinum in the UK and Denmark. The album sold over four million copies in Europe. She has won 12 awards and counting throughout her career. In 2009, Duffy was one of Great Britain’s richest musicians. She is known for her powerful vocals.
# 9 – Pixie Lott
Pixie Lott is a singer, songwriter and actress. Her debut album Turn It Up peaked at number six on the UK charts. The album had six Top 20 singles. The singles are “Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh),” “Boys and Girls,” “Cry Me Out,” “Gravity,” “Turn It Up” and “Broken Arrow.” “Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)” and “Boys and Girls” peaked at number one on the UK Singles charts. Her second album Young Foolish Happy peaked at number 18 on the UK charts. It features the hit singles “All About Tonight,” “What Do You Take Me For?,” and “Kiss the Stars.” Pixie Lott’s self-titled album peaked at number 15 on the UK charts. It features the hit single “Nasty.” “Nasty” is her sixth Top 10 single in the UK. She has headlined two tours and was the opening act for Rihanna. Pixie Lott is known for her soulful vocals.
# 8 – Emeli Sande
Emeli Sande is a singer and songwriter. She rose to fame when she appeared on Chipmunk’s single “Diamond Rings.” It was the first Top 10 single for both artists. She also appeared in Wiley’s single “Never Be Your Woman.” It was another Top 10 hit. Her singles “Heaven,” “Read All About It” and “Beneath Your Beautiful” were number one hits. Her album Our Version of Events spent 10 nonconsecutive weeks at number one. It was one of the best-selling albums in the UK in 2012.
The album sold over one million copies. It features the hit singles “Next to Me,” “My Kind of Love” and “Clown.” Emeli Sande’s second album Long Live the Angels peaked at number two on the UK charts. The album features the hit singles “Hurts” and “Highs & Lows.” She has worked with other artists such as Naughty Boy, Professor Green, Labrinth, Alejandro Sanz and David Guetta. Emeli Sande has written songs for Alicia Keys, Naughty Boy, Professor Green, Rihanna as well as others. Fans enjoy her soprano vocals. She wants people to connect with the lyrics of her songs.
# 7 – Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Burke is a singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to fame when she won the fifth season of The X Factor UK. Her single “Hallelujah” was one of the fastest selling singles sold in one day. It was the top-selling UK song in 2008. By 2009, the single sold over one million copies in the UK. This was the first time that has ever happened for a British female artist at the time. Her debut album Overcome peaked at number one on the UK charts. The album had four number one hit singles.
The singles are “Hallelujah,” “Bad Boys,” “All Night Long” and “Start without You.” The album also features the hit singles “Broken Heel” and “The Silence.” Overcome was one of the most successful albums in 2009. Her second album Heartbreak on Hold peaked at number 18 on the UK charts. It features the hit singles “Elephant” and “Let It Go.” She is popular because of her vocal range. She wants her music to be fun and uplifting.
# 6 – Leona Lewis
Leona Lewis is a singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Like some of the artists on our list, Leona Lewis got her start on The X Factor UK. She won on the third season. Her first single was a remake of Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This.” The song was number one for four weeks on the UK Singles charts. It broke a world record at the time. The song had 50,000 digital downloads within 30 minutes. Her debut album Spirit was the fourth best-selling album in the 2000s. The album went 10 times platinum in the UK.
The album peaked at number one in the UK and US. It was one of the best-selling debut albums by a female artist. It was also one of the best-selling albums in UK history. It features the hits “Bleeding Love,” “A Moment Like This,” “Better in Time,” “Footprints in the Sand,” “Forgive Me,” “Run” and “I Will Be.” The album went on to sell seven million copies worldwide. Her second album Echo peaked at number one on the UK charts and number 13 on Billboard 200. It features the hit single “Happy.” She became the first British female singer to have eight singles reach the Top 5. She is known for her versatile and powerful vocal range.
# 5 – Joss Stone
The next pick on our 25 Most Famous British Female Singers Now list is Joss Stone. The sensational Joss Stone is a singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to fame with her successful debut album The Soul Sessions. The album peaked at number four on the UK charts and one on the UK r&b charts. It features the hit singles “Fell in Love with a Boy” and “Super Duper Love.” The album sold over five million copies worldwide. Her second album Mind Body & Soul peaked at number one on the UK charts. This feat made her one of the youngest female artists to peak at number one on the UK charts. It features the hit single “You Had Me.” It is her highest peaking single on the UK charts to date. Joss Stone is known for her soulful and bluesy voice. Fans love her live performances.
# 4 – Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa is a singer and songwriter. She has won several awards throughout her career. Dua Lipa rose to fame when her self-titled debut album peaked at number three on the UK charts. It features the hit singles “Be the One,” “IDGAF,” “New Rules,” “Blow Your Mind (Mwah),” “Scared to Be Lonely,” “Lost in Your Light” and “One Kiss.” Her second album Future Nostalgia peaked at number one on the UK charts and number three on Billboard 200. This album is the 15th best-selling album in the 21st century. She accomplished this without any number one hits from the album. It features the singles “Physical,” “Break My Heart,” “Hallucinate,” “Un Dia (One Day),” “Levitating” and “Fever.” This album established her as a pop superstar. She is one of the most influential British female artists in music. Her husky and sultry vocals win fans over.
# 3 – Little Mix
Little Mix is a girl group. Little Mix rose to fame when they were the first girl group to win The X Factor UK. They are one of the most successful girl groups of all time. They are one of Britain’s greatest selling acts. They have five number one singles in the UK. The singles are “Cannonball,” “Wings,” “Black Magic,” “Shout Out to My Ex” and “Sweet Melody.” In addition to their number one hits, their other hits include “DNA,” “Change Your Life,” “How Ya Doin’?,” “Move,” “Salute,” “Love Me Like You,” “Secret Love Song,” “Hair,” “Touch,” “No More Sad Songs,” “Power,” “Only You,” “Woman Like Me,” “Break Up Song,” “Holiday,” “Heartbreak Anthem” and “No Time for Tears.”
They released six studio albums. Five of the albums were certified platinum. Little Mix held the record for having the highest charting debut album by a British group in the US. They are one of the first girl groups to have five Top 5 albums in the UK. The albums are DNA (2012), Salute (2013), Get Weird (2015), Glory Days (2016), LM 5 (2018) and Confetti (2020). Little Mix was known for their vocals and signature harmonies. Little Mix helped redefine girl groups. They are one of the most influential groups in the UK.
# 2 – Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse was a singer and songwriter. She was one of the most influential artists in music. She was known for her eclectic sound. She was also known for her unique vocals. Her debut album Frank was a commercial success. It peaked at number three on the UK charts. She had moderate success with the singles, but the album sold over two million worldwide. Amy Winehouse became a commercial success when she released her second album Back to Black. The album was an international success. It was one of the biggest selling albums in UK history.
The album peaked at number one in several countries. It peaked at number two on Billboard 200. The album features the hit singles “Rehab,” “You Know I’m No Good,” “Back to Black,” “Tears Dry on Their Own” and “Love Is a Losing Game.” Her other hits include “Body and Soul” and “Our Day Will Come.” She won several awards during her short-lived career. She may not be with us anymore, but her influence lives on. Her influence is prominent in the music industry. She paved the way for artists like Adele and Duffy. Even in her death, her music continues to be popular and influential. She is remembered as one of the greatest and most distinctive artists in the industry.
# 1 – Adele
The number one pick on our 25 Most Famous British Female Singers Now list is Adele. The mesmerizing Adele is a singer and songwriter. Her debut album 19 sold over 8 million copies worldwide. It features the hit singles “Hometown Glory,” “Chasing Pavements,” “Make You Feel My Love” and “Cold Shoulders.” Adele achieved worldwide success with her second album 21. It is one of the best-selling albums in the 21st century. The album sold over 31 million copies and was number one in almost every country. It features the hit singles “Rolling in the Deep,” “Someone Like You,” “Set Fire to the Rain,” “Rumour Has It” and “Turning Tables.” She recorded the hit single “Skyfall” for the movie of the same name.
Her third studio album 25 was a hit. It peaked at number one in almost every country. The album sold over 23 million copies worldwide. It features the singles “Hello,” “When We Were Young,” “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” and “Water Under the Bridge.” Her fourth album 30 was one of the best-selling albums in 2021. It sold an impressive 900,000 copies in its first week. It features the hit singles “Easy on Me,” “Oh My God” and “I Drink Wine.” Adele is one of the best-selling artists in the UK and US. Fans enjoy her music because she writes about personal things. Adele has been coined a vocal goddess and is considered one of the best singers in music.
25 Most Famous Female British Singers Now! article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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