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By mixing Lisa Loeb/Alanis Morissette-like singing with music that sounds similar to a more
mainstream Portishead at times, Natalie Imbruglia has become one of the biggest pop sensations in Europe. Born in Sydney, Australia on February 4, 1975, Imbruglia was one of four sisters and grew up in a tiny beach town. After becoming a teen actress and landing a spot on the Australian soap opera Neighbours, Imbruglia decided that she would rather be a singer, and moved to London in 1996 to try her luck. It was a wise move, as she was soon signed to the RCA U.K. label. Deciding to release a single before her full-length debut, the track "Torn" was issued in 1997, and no one could have predicted its wild success. Produced by former Cure member Phil Thornalley and written by Ednaswap, the single spent a total of 14 weeks at number one, sold over a millon copies, and broke the record for most airplay in U.K. history. Her debut album, Left of the Middle, was a major hit in Australia, the U.K., and the U.S. upon its release in early 1998. Follow-up singles "Smoke" and the album title track did moderately well, but never achieved the massive success as "Torn." After a whirlwind praise, Imbruglia disappeared for the rest of the nineties. She found herself battling writer's block while composing material for a sophomore effort, however Imbruglia trudged on. By fall 2001, she had released White Lilies Island in the U.K. and debut single "That Day" was a favorite among radio play. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
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