Originating from Manchester, England's Moss Side district, this highly talented teenage trio comprised sisters Cleopatra Madonna (b. 30 April 1982), Zainam (b. 5 December 1980) and Yonah Higgins (b. 27 April 1984). The girls were brought up single-handedly by their mother Christine while she completed a degree course. They first appeared in local talent competitions around Manchester, before a home video of one of their performances was passed onto UK swingbeat singer Mark Morrison. Morrison in turn passed it on to his record company, WEA Records, and an impromptu a cappella rendition at Warner's London offices allegedly finalized the deal. The trio's exuberant blend of Motown Records-influenced pop and swingbeat was all the more impressive given that most of their material was written by middle sister Cleopatra (from whom the band derived their name). The trio supported Gabrielle and Louise on tour, and made a show-stopping appearance at the 1998 BRIT Awards, before releasing "Cleopatra's Theme" ("fresh new talent's here and we know"), which entered the UK charts at number 3 in February 1998. A lucrative US deal with Madonna's Maverick Records label followed in March 1998. The follow-up singles "Life Ain't Easy" (number 4 in May) and a cover version of the Jackson Five's "I Want You Back" (number 3 in August) established the trio as regulars in the UK Top 10, while "Cleopatra's Theme' climbed to US number 26 in August. The debut album Comin" Atcha! entered the UK charts at a rather disappointing number 20 in June 1998, indicating the trio's forte as a singles act. "A Touch Of Love' broke their run of hit singles when it failed to enter the Top 20 in March 1999. They have subsequently made forays into television with the cartoon show Comin' Atcha and In The House With Cleopatra. The trio unveiled a more R&B-orientated sound on their sophomore album, Steppin" Out, alongside a more mature visual image.

Listen to Cleopatra at Finetune.

• (2005)  Steppin' Out
• (1998)  Comin' Atcha!

• Cleopatra's Theme
• Life Ain'T Easy
• I Want You Back
• U Got It
• Dying Rose

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