All Saints are an English girl group formed in London in 1993. They were founded as All Saints 1.9.7.5 by music manager Ron Tom. with members Melanie Blatt, Shaznay Lewis, and Simone Rainford. The group struggled to find commercial success upon being signed to ZTT Records and were dropped by the label shortly after Rainford left the group. In 1996, the group were joined by Canadian sisters Nicole and Natalie Appleton and signed to London Records under their shortened name.
All Saints performing in 2007. Clockwise from top left: Shaznay Lewis, Melanie Blatt, Natalie Appleton and Nicole Appleton.
A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of whom were influenced by doo-wop and which flourished in the late 1950s and early 1960s between the decline of early rock and roll and start of the British Invasion. All-female bands, in which members also play instruments, are usually considered a separate phenomenon. These groups are sometimes called "girl bands" to differentiate, although this terminology is not universally followed.
Singing group Labelle, c. 1975
Breaking through during the mid-1990s, the Spice Girls became the best-selling girl group of all time.
Image: Please Mr. Postman album
Image: Girls' Generation at DMC Festival 2015 MBC Radio DJ Concert 02