Natalie Appleton
Her cool, smoky vocals defined the sound of All Saints, a group that brought a sharp, streetwise edge to 90s British pop.
Born 1973 (age 53)·Canadian-born English singer·Birthday: May 14·Generation X
Biography
Natalie Appleton sang on 'Pure Shores', a number-one single that defined late-90s British pop. She found fame as a core member of All Saints alongside her sister Nicole, Melanie Blatt, and Shaznay Lewis. The group blended R&B swagger with pop hooks, standing in stark contrast to the bubblegum of the era. Their military chic style and air of effortless cool proved as influential as their music. Appleton also performed with her sister in the duo Appleton. The group experienced famous hiatuses and reunions, but her steady presence and distinct vocal tone remained constant. She carved a place in British music history that outlasted the fleeting nature of pop stardom.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Natalie was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Natalie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Natalie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Achieved global success as a member of All Saints, whose debut album sold over 5 million copies worldwide.
- Scored multiple UK number-one singles with All Saints, including the iconic 'Never Ever' and 'Pure Shores'.
- Co-founded the duo Appleton with her sister Nicole, releasing the top-ten album 'Everything's Eventual'.
- Reunited with All Saints for successful comeback albums and tours in the 2000s and 2010s.
Did You Know?
She is a trained dancer and attended the same performing arts college in London as fellow All Saint Melanie Blatt.
Her son, born in 2004, is with her former partner, Liam Howlett of The Prodigy.
She and her sister Nicole were originally part of a different girl group called All Saints 1.9.7.5 before the formation of the famous lineup.
“We were four very different women who made one perfect sound.”
