Billie

Armed with terrific songs and a youthful exuberance, Billie reminds us of the infectious appeal of pop music. Her singing and dancing have already earned the 16-year-old stunning success in Billie’s British homeland. Billie became the first-ever British female solo artist to debut at #1 on the UK pop chart with her single “Because We Want To.” And that was just the beginning. She followed that smash with two other chart-topping hits “Girlfriend” and “She Wants You,” as well as a platinum album in the UK. With her popularity and success growing on an international scale, Billie has now set her sights on America. “She Wants You” is gaining U.S. club play while providing a preview of Honey To The B, Billie’s debut album due in May 1999 on Virgin Records. Standout tracks such as “I Dream” and the title track exemplify an album full of sheer fun and sassy grooves. She was born Billie Paul Piper on September 9, 1982 in the southern British town of Swindon. The oldest of four siblings, as a child Billie loved listening to (and singing along with) a wide range of pop and R&B music — everything from Motown to Madonna to “La Bamba.” She joined various singing and theater groups in her hometown before winning a scholarship to a London drama school. By her early teens, Billie had compiled a long list of acting, modeling, and performance credits in Britain’s television and print. Now Billie returns to her first love, music. Even as her career blossoms, Billie remains a decidedly down-to-earth young woman: she still lives with her family in Swindon, and retains the enthusiasm of her not-so-distant childhood when — as a fun-loving six-year-old — she used to dance in front of the mirror and sing, clutching a hairbrush as her microphone. “Yeah, and I still do it now!” she laughs