Making waves
Who is Katrina Leskanich? Katrina and The Waves singer and winner of Eurovision 1997
KATRINA Leskanich is an American singer best known as the lead vocalist from British pop rock legends Katrina and the Waves — the last act from these shores to win Eurovision.
With the 2025 edition of the continent's premier Song Contest well under way, here's everything you need to know about the UK's most recent winners.
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Who is Katrina Leskanich?
Katrina Leskanich was born on April 10, 1960, in Topeka, Kansas, but moved to the United Kingdom in 1976.
Her dad was a Vietnam vet and colonel in the US Air Force and due to her family's military background, she moved around frequently during her childhood, eventually relocating to the UK 1976, where she has lived ever since.
Katrina's music career began in England with the band Mama's Cookin' — a pop cover band formed in 1978, in which she sang and played keyboards.
The band evolved into Katrina and the Waves after Kimberley Rew, guitarist and songwriter, joined the group and began writing songs specifically for Katrina.
The band gained international fame with their hit Walking on Sunshine (1985), which became a global anthem.
The song reached the Top 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and UK chart, as well as earning the band a Grammy nomination.
Biggest hits
In 1997, the band's tune Love Shine a Light stole the Eurovision crown.
It went on to reach at No.3 in the UK Singles charts and No.2 in Norway and Austria.
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Other Katrina and the Waves' smash hits include Walking on Sunshine, Do You Want Crying and Sun Street.
Katrina's solo projects
Katrina has thrown herself into a number of exciting projects since Katrina and the Waves disbanded in 1999.
Eurovision winners unrecogniseable
She worked as a DJ for BBC Radio 2 before taking on the lead role in musical Leader of the Pack.
The popular singer has also released some solo tracks, including covers of Kirsty MacColl's They Don't Know and Clash tune Hitsville UK.
She has also played at a number of different festivals in Europe, including Rewind and the San Fermin.
When Katrina won Eurovision?
Katrina and the Waves secured victory at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1997.
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It was the group's biggest success since they released Walking on Sunshine 12 years earlier.
This victory was notable for achieving the highest score at the time — 227 points — a record that stood until the voting system changed in 2004.
Two decades after Katrina's Eurovision success, the singer returned to deliver the UK's scores at the annual event.
Richard Osman and Nigella Lawson were among those who presented the marks in years prior to Katrina's stint.
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