Robert Williams is a British singer, songwriter and actor. Former member of the pop group Take That in 1990-1995 and 2009-2012, as well as a popular solo artist.
Robbie Williams: biography
Born 02/13/74 in Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom. When Robbie was three years old, his parents divorced and he stayed with his mother Janet and sister. At school, Williams behaved ugly, as a result of which he never received a certificate of completion. Deprived of a lot of choice, Robbie went to the sellers, but fate intervened. His mother saw an ad in the local paper for a band. Knowing that her son had a talent for singing and acting, she arranged for him to participate in one of the many auditions held in Manchester. As it turned out, the rebellious nature that manifested itself at school did not interfere with Robbie, since his performance ended with a tremendous success, and he began his difficult path to fame.
Five years with Take That
In 1990, Nigel Martin-Smith created the "boy" group Take That. The four members, Mark Owen, Gary Barlow, Jason Orange and Howard Donald, were joined by the youngest, 16-year-old Robbie Williams. The singer's biography over the next five years was marked by undeniable success. The group's compositions from time to time topped the charts, and she went on tour around the world, performing concerts in crowded stadiums. But in 1995, Williams decided enough was enough and announced his departure from the band and the start of his solo career.
Intoxicated by freedom
Take That's image required him to lead a normal boy band member's lifestyle, in line with the average age of his fans. But as soon as Williams left the band, he hit the front pages of the newspapers because of his behavior. Robbie was clearly in ecstasy at shedding his teen idol image and status, and he was soon photographed at a Glastonbury party with Oasis, a band that was far from Take That's musical style and reputation. It was a silent demonstration of Williams' attitude towards what he has been doing for the past five years. Soon he changed his image, began to wear dirty clothes, grew a beard and gained weight to acquire an impressive beer belly. He seemed to be deliberately distancing himself from the group that made him a star.
Solo career
Williams always wanted to work alone, and in 1996 his career with the Robbie William Band began with a cover of George Michael's Freedom, which reached number two in the UK. Recording for his debut album began in March 1996, and a meeting with songwriter/producer Guy Chambers was a guarantee of success, leading to their long-term collaboration. Old Before I Die was the first single from the debut disc and peaked at number two in the UK. The album Life Thru A Lens appeared in September 1997.
The wild partying in the early years after leaving Take That led the singer into the dark and apparently inevitable world of alcohol and drugs. Robbie Williams, whose biography is similar to the path of many celebrities, found himself in a rehabilitation center before the album was completed. "Life Through the Lens" provided the singer with a very mediocre success, failing to top the charts, and the third single South of the Border sank into soft non-existence outside the top ten. Some critics and fans have begun to wonder how long Williams will be able to go solo and if he can even achieve half the success he had with Take That.
First solo hit
The meeting with the record company, during which his future was discussed, was a turning point in Williams' life. The decision was made to release a fourth single, and Angels went top in the UK, earning double platinum certification. It sold over two million copies worldwide, instantly skyrocketing the popularity of Life Thru the Lens. The star status of a solo artist in the United Kingdom was finally achieved, but Williams had yet to prove himself in the international market.
"Millennium"
In 1998, Williams and Chambers began writing songs for their second album in Jamaica. Borrowing the musical arrangement used by Nancy Sinatra in the Bondiniade "You Only Live Twice", they released the first single "Millennium" in 1998. He immediately took the lead, displacing the song All Saints Under the Bridge. Ironically, at that time Robbie was engaged to one of the members of this group, Nicole Appleton. When I've Been Expecting You was released in the fall of 1998, it quickly reached number one on the charts and became the UK's best-selling album of that year. Mindful of the failure of the debut disc, Williams' record company this time made sure that the advertising went beyond the United Kingdom, and the No Regrets single was well received in Europe and Latin America.
Over the ocean
The next step for Williams was to conquer the American market - an extremely difficult target for British artists. In the US, Robbie signed with EMI and went on a promotional tour of the United States. However, after the release of the Millennium album in 1999, it became only 72nd on the Billboard Hot 100, and the debut overseas album called The Ego Has Landed only reached the 63rd step. Despite the failure, Williams still received decent airtime and was nominated for the MTV Video Music Awards for Best Male Video Clip. He was not awarded the award, but the nomination made it possible to significantly raise his authority.
Striptease is prohibited
Despite the concerts that Robbie Williams constantly gave, the singer still found time in 1999 to record his third album. Rock DJ's first single released caused controversy. Not because of his content, but because of the video sequence - performing a striptease, Robbie tore off his skin and muscles. This led to the clip being censored by Top Of The Pops and other music channels followed suit. Nevertheless, the track became a worldwide hit, winning several awards, and was named Best Song of the Year 2000 at the European MTV Awards, as well as UK Single of the Year.
The album's release in August 2000 brought Williams worldwide success, reaching number one in the English charts, and approached Williams with an offer to write a few songs for her Light Years disc. Instead, the couple performed a duet on the single "Kids" and embarked on a joint two-month tour of the United Kingdom.
Change of musical orientation
After the success of his third album, Williams decided to change musical direction. He took a two-week break from his tour to record his fourth studio disc, which sounded significantly different from previous ones. This is what Robbie Williams has always dreamed of. Music born from the singer's love for Frank Sinatra, combined with the success of a jazzy composition from the movie "Bridget Jones's Diaries" in early 2001, Sing When You're Winning was released in 2001 and became an instant hit worldwide. He performed the first single Something Stupid together with Nicole Kidman. The cover of the Frank and Nancy Sinatra hit was the artist's fifth UK hit, and the album was the 49th best-selling album in the United Kingdom. Subsequently, Robbie also fulfilled his dream by performing a solo concert at London's Royal Albert Hall.
In 2002, the singer signed the biggest deal in British history with EMI for a record £80m, proving that the Stoke-born dropout is a true megastar. After a one-year hiatus, he began working on his fifth album. Escapology marked a new era for Williams. He did not part well with his longtime collaborator Guy Chambers - both sides made opposing statements. This allowed Robbie to be more involved in the creation of the new disc, proving his confidence in the recording studio, and three tracks were the first not written by Chambers.
When released in 2002, the album topped the UK charts, but only reached number 43 in the United States. The gigantic summer tour of 2003 ended with three shows at Knebworth with a record crowd of 375,000 fans to hear Williams. The show was released as the artist's debut live album in 2003, which became the top-selling album, doubling Oasis' numbers. A year later, Williams decided it was time to step out of the shadows and freshen up his career by collaborating with new talent. In 2004, he began working with British composer Stephen Duffy and a greatest hits compilation was released the same year, reaching number one in 18 countries.
"Intensive therapy"
Robbie Williams gave out hits without a break. A year after touring Latin America, in October 2005, he recorded his sixth studio album, Intensive Care, which sold over 2 million copies in six weeks. Noting that Williams had managed to dominate the charts during the years of his solo career since leaving Take That, the former members of the band, which broke up in 1996, agreed to reunite in London for a preview screening of a documentary to be broadcast on ITV1. When he left the band, many rumors circulated as to the reasons for this decision, and most of them concerned Robbie's dislike for Gary Barlow. However, everyone felt that Williams was likely to leave the past alone and join the show. However, he refused to meet, disappointing fans and once again leaving the rest of the group.
Failure
Rudebox's seventh studio album received mixed reviews. The self-titled first single premiered on BBC Radio 1 on DJ Scott Mills' show, causing controversy as the record company's release date had not yet arrived. The composition was widely criticized and, ironically, the officially reunited group Take That sold more copies of their album Beautiful World than Robbie Williams. The singer's biography was marked by the release of his lowest-selling brainchild in his entire solo career as a musician. It seemed that he made a mistake with the change of style and recorded a disc that was not swept off the shelves. It was not the end yet, because immediately after the announcement of the world tour in 2006, a world record was set - 1.6 million tickets were sold in a day.
Personal life
Williams has managed to fall out with the English media since his move to the US. He has stated several times in the press that he prefers the Los Angeles lifestyle because he has more freedom and privacy there than in the UK. Constant battles with drugs and alcohol abuse had a negative impact on his personal life. Robbie made a candid public admission that he suffers from depression by taking part in a BBC documentary directed by Stephen Fry about bipolar disorder. He also gained a reputation for being unable to maintain a relationship for a significant period of time. After breaking up with Nicole Appleton in the late 90s, he only briefly dated a few celebrities, including Rachel Hunter, but finally found love with Turkish-American actress Ayda Field. The future wife of Robbie Williams participated in the filming of a documentary about UFOs, which the singer did for BBC Radio 4 in April 2006. The couple married in a ceremony held at the singer's home in Los Angeles on 07/07/2010. Robbie Williams' wife gave birth to two children: daughter Theodora (2012) and son Charlton (2014).
But prior to this, discussions of his personal life had sometimes reached the point of absurdity, when his inability to connect his life with a woman gave rise to speculation regarding his sexual orientation. Things got to the point that in 2005 he won a libel case against MGN and Northern & Shell, who in their articles claimed that he was a latent homosexual. Gay rights activists have suggested that Williams donate the resulting large sums of compensation to gay charities, arguing that his court case shows that he was offended by the way he was called. A similar case of Jason Donovan was cited as an example, which alienated many gay fans from him. The singer's long-time friend, actor and musician Max Beasley, has spoken to the press that some of the things written about him infuriate him - for example, rumors that he is gay. "That's a lie. I've never met a smaller gay man in my life!"
Creative stagnation
On October 4, 2007, Williams returned to the stage after a hiatus of nearly ten months as a guest at a Mark Ronson concert in Los Angeles. He performed the Charlatans classic The Onle One I Know, included on Ronson's Version album. In January 2008, a long silence since the release of Rudebox in 2005 gave rise to rumors that Robbie Williams was not recording albums, as he went on strike with his label EMI. His manager Tim Clark denied these speculations and insisted that the plans simply had to be shelved. EMI's new owner Guy Hands told the Financial Times that: "The company has no problem with Williams. It was his manager who made the statements, not Robbie himself. Williams has been recording and performing albums for many years full-time and in 2008 wanted to take a break. We have there is no need to push him to record a disc.” Tim Clark, Williams' manager, declined to comment.
Take That reunion
Two years later, it was announced that Robbie was about to release a second compilation of his best tracks from 1990-2010. titled Robbie William: In And Out Of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990-2010 to celebrate 20 years in the business. The album included the song Shame, co-written with old bandmate Gary Barlow. This collaboration fueled rumors of a Take That reunion.
On July 15, it was officially announced that Robbie Williams is working with his former band on the release of a new album. A statement released at the time stated that: "The rumors are true... The original Take That band has written and recorded a new album, which will be called Progress and will be released before the end of this year." On September 20, 2010, the singer published his second book, You Know Me, co-authored with Chris Heath. It published photos of the star throughout his 20-year career and comments on them. In October of the same year, Media Control announced that Robbie Williams was the singer of the millennium, as his compositions had been at the top of the German charts for the longest time. Progress was released in November 2010 and became the second fastest selling album in UK history.
The band announced their intention to tour in 2011. The Progress Live 2011 tour also became the fastest selling tour of all time on the English charts, culminating in eight shows at Wembley Stadium. On July 15 and 16, 2011, the band were scheduled to perform sold-out concerts in the Danish capital Copenhagen as part of a world tour, but they were canceled for the first time in Take That's history, as Robbie caught an intestinal infection.
Return to pop music
On October 6, 2011, Robbie Williams launched the Radio Rudebox radio show. During the broadcast, he interviewed Barlow and played music. In late 2012, Robbie released a solo album titled Take The Crown, produced by Barlow. Then in 2013 another swing album appeared called Swings Both Ways. After Barlow's Radio Times interview, rumors began circulating that Robbie Williams had once again left Take That. Later it turned out that he meant that the group took a break, since at present all the singers are implementing their own solo projects.
The singer returned to the fold of pop music at the end of 2016 with the release of his 11th album, The Heavy Entertainment Show. The composition Entertainment became his 12th No. 1 hit in the UK, securing the singer the title of the most successful solo artist in the history of the English charts.
Participation in cinema
There are also films with Robbie Williams in one form or another. He voiced Dougal in The Magic Roundabout (2005) and starred in Gangsta Granny (2013), Robbie Williams: Take the Crown Live (2012), The Short Cut (2011), De-Lovely (2004), Robbie Williams: Rock DJ ( 2000) Hooves of Fire (1999) "(2001)," Cards, money, two trunks "(1998) and many others. Also saw the light of documentaries with Robbie Williams about the participation of the singer in the group Take That and tapes about his solo performances.
Singer Robbie Williams is a British and rather eccentric performer. In itself, his appearance on the stage is unusual and defiant for England. The musical style of Robbie Williams is to shock the audience with videos, songs and, most importantly, a variety of antics that he constantly throws out to the public. Robert Peter Maximilian Williams himself or simply Robbie Williamson was born in 1974, Robbie Williams spent his childhood in the city of Stoke - he - Trent. Already at school, he showed what his difficult character was capable of, Robbie was not a rebel and a bully, but he had the ability to sing and play the piano. Musician Robbie Williams from school was ahead of his peers, studying in a theater troupe, he often got the lead roles in musicals.
The guy began his path to fame at the age of 16. It was then that the musical career of Robbie Williams began its journey. A young performer who came to audition for the famous band Take That performed a brilliant composition by Jason Donovan Nothing Can Divide Us. Having performed the song with one word well, the group instantly realized that this guy was what they needed. From that moment on, she became the most extraordinary member of the group.
Performer Robbie Williams with an amazing smile, with a sense of "pungent" humor and with burning eyes has become the dream of all British teenagers. He never tried to pacify his wild temper and always flaunted it. For example, there is information about Robbie Williams that in Italy he decided to swim not on the Cote d'Azur, but in the fountain. True, the young rebel, having drunk too much, did not pay attention to the fact that there was no water in the fountain. As the life story of Robbie Williams tells, it was after that incident that he flaunts on his head and left eyebrow - a scar that does not bother the fans at all, and makes its owner even more charming.
Extravagant biography of Robbie Williams does not end with a series of spicy cases. In London, having received one of the many awards, the singer stole a box of champagne from a bar and went on to have fun further at the Glastonbury festival. The idols of the star, Oasis, performed at the festival, and here Robbie excelled. Opening the trunk of the car, which was full of strong drinks, he told Gallagher that they should play football and sing a couple of songs, and then have plenty of everything to drink. And, of course, the performance made a huge sensation, moreover, that the group agreed to its conditions.
One of the important facts in the life of Robbie Williams is his departure from the band, when the next tour was supposed to take place. The singer was confident in his abilities and decided to start a solo career, and not depend on everyone. Unfortunately, his steadfastness did not last long, the condemnation of former friends, problems with the contract and the manager, as well as the right to perform solo, nevertheless broke the young star.
Stress was followed by depression, then a destructive passion for alcoholic beverages and dangerous drugs. And, of course, it was not without help here, Elton John supported the singer, and he managed to quit bad habits and return to normal life. Everything went to success, he managed to win the lawsuit, solve the financial side of the problems, and return to the creativity of writing songs. In a short time, luck returned to Robbie, he signs a contract with Chrysalis, to record a successful single - a Freedom 96 cover.
The singer worked with many authors, but the most successful was the work with Desmond Child, as a result of their cooperation, the first solo single Old before I die appeared, the style was very reminiscent of his idols. This was followed by the record Life thru a lens and positive reviews from critics and fans.
Naturally, all this contributed to the fame and good performance of the artist. In 2001, Williams released the CD Swing when you're winning, as well as the song that he performs with the charming Nicole Kidman. In the end, followed by a series of new albums in the discography of Robbie Williams. Robbie knows how to perform and create his works in a unique way, the hallmark of an artist is to be able to make a real masterpiece, for example, one of the hits, the composition Feel. Of course, music is the element of Williams, but he is still talented as an actor. All his clips are dynamic, unique, and each hero has his own inimitable character.
The personal life of Robbie Williams has always been in the spotlight of journalists. Numerous affairs that were constantly highlighted in the photographs of Robbie Williams and his passions. A lot of gossip, and the conversation was also accompanied by an opinion about the orientation of the singer. There were rumors that the artist's managers forbade marriage so as not to frighten away gay fans. In 1998, the singer denied all the rumors and started a crazy affair with Nicole Appleton.
Then in 2006 he decided to throw out another feint and went on a blind date. There he meets actress Eide Field, three years later he proposes to a girl live on the radio, but even here he excelled, saying that all this was just PR and a joke. But, despite the rowdy Robbie, the wedding took place, and a photo of Robbie Williams and his wife appeared in the press as a happy family. And on September 3, 2012, the charming girl Theodora was born. Although the singer’s character is not simple, but with the right approach, any person can be changed and made an exemplary family man.
Celebrity biographies
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13.02.15 13:21
British music legend Elton John compared his colleague Robbie Williams, whose biography is a bizarre alternation of resounding success and the struggle with his own demons, Frank Sinatra of our time. After all, the British have a unique timbre and a special manner of performance. No wonder his compatriots called him the most popular singer in the UK.
Biography of Robbie Williams
little clown
Robbie Williams was born in the large industrial center of England - Newcastle on February 13, 1974. But the parents separated when the boy was only 3 years old, and his mother took Robert and his sister Sally to the provincial Stoke-on-Trent. There the childhood of the future singer passed. His full name is rather ostentatious: Robert Peter Maximilian - no wonder that, having become famous, he shortened it to the usual "Robbie".
The biography of Robbie Williams did not start at all stellar. At St. Margaret's School, he was known as a varmint and a clown, the schoolboy's grades left much to be desired. But gradually the singing and artistic gifts of the boy began to appear. He successfully performed at school concerts, played in an amateur theater troupe - in musicals he was entrusted with central roles. It became clear - the artist is growing!
In a successful boy band
The mother shared the aspirations of the teenager, it was she who advised him to go to the casting in the Take That group. The audition was successful, and for five years the biography of Robbie Williams was closely associated with this team. Later there will be reunion attempts and joint projects. In the meantime, young Williams was glad to be among like-minded people. The most cheerful member of the group, he was known as a joker and a joker. And the affairs of "Take That" confidently went "uphill". It was the most successful boy band in England at the time. Since the days of the Beatles, the country has not seen such huge sales of discs and sold-out performances.
Break out of the dungeon
The crisis came in the sixth year. At first, author and vocalist Gary Barlow disagreed with his comrades, but he did not have the courage to express his dissatisfaction directly. But Williams did not stand on ceremony. He stated that he did not intend to continue to vegetate in this "prison" and hit all the hard. Sprees, a sharp change in image (bleached hair), bad companies - everything went to ensure that Robbie parted ways with his associates. And in July 1995 it finally happened. And when he celebrated his twenty-two anniversary, the group itself "ordered a long life."
The thorny path to success
After the revelry and binges, it was difficult to regain a good name, so it took some time for "single skater" Robbie Williams to win the trust of the public and producers. Only at the end of 1997, having released the single "Angels", he was able to break through to the top of the charts. Listeners turned to Robbie's debut album (which had been on sale for a long time) and swept it off the shelves. Surprisingly, this disc ("Life Thru a Lens") took first place in the UK chart. Thus rose the star of vocalist Robbie Williams.
The singer had to fight not only with his bad habits, but also with accusations of non-traditional sexual orientation (the clips of the former group sometimes suggested that the guys were gay). Collaboration with vocalist Nicole Appleton (and romance with her) should have dispelled these rumors. The second disc ("I" ve Been Expecting You ") became a sensation. In 1998, the biography of Robbie Williams was replenished with the title of "best-selling" singer in Britain, and "the conquest of America" was just around the corner.
Unexpected duet: Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman
New compositions, promotions, meetings, the right contacts - the mechanism worked like a clock. Europe adored the sharp-tongued idol, the States reluctantly, but accepted the Briton into their arms. After all, in the album Swing When You Are Winning, the singer paid tribute to the memory of Sinatra, and the rock legend's single "Somethin" Stupid "was recorded together by Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman. Music lovers liked the unexpected duet, the song topped the British chart for three weeks.
Behind were 4 superbly sold discs, a solo concert in London, a lucrative contract with a recording studio (for releasing a new album by Williams, the EMI corporation laid out, according to various sources, from 50 to 80 million pounds). The Escapology CD was recorded in Los Angeles and became very successful on both sides of the Atlantic.
Made it to Peter!
The news of the 2006 world tour excited the vocalist's fans, and he got into the Guinness Book of Records (1,600,000 tickets for the singer's concerts were sold on the first day).
The work continued, the former "bad boy" finally settled down. There were many more performances and discs. Released in autumn 2013, Swings Both Ways was a real treat for Williams fans. And in April 2015, for the first time, he made St. Petersburg fans happy by arriving in the Northern capital with a concert.
Personal life
Fight with yourself
Problems with drugs and alcohol for a long time prevented the personal life of Robbie Williams from entering the normal family course. He had to painfully get rid of drug addiction (Xanax and Vicodin for some time replaced the singer with all the blessings of life).
won the heart
American Ayda Field has become a real "lifeline" for the star. A little-known actress of Turkish origin captured the heart of the British in 2006, and in 2007 they declared themselves a couple. They traveled for a long time, "grind" their characters - both were not too young and were afraid to make a mistake. But at the end of the summer of 2010, Ayda and Robbie Williams, whose personal life was completely dependent on her lover, got married.
Robbie Williams' daughter is daddy's joy
In the spring of 2012, the singer told the press that he would soon become a father. Robbie Williams' daughter was born on September 17th. The baby was named Theodora Rose. The middle-aged dad loves the baby, like her brother Charlton Valentine, who was born at the end of October 2014.
Robbie Williams is a rare example of leaving a successful band to lead an even more successful solo career. In the boy band Take That, Robbie played the unenviable role of a pretty boy on the backup dancers, who was allowed to the microphone on big holidays. After five years, Rob left the group with a scandal, finally giving out a freak show at the Glastonbury Festival. Williams had a good drink with his new friends from Oasis, after which, during their performance, he jumped onto the stage and arranged shamanic dances there. Robbie signed an EMI deal and got veteran writer/producer Guy Chambers to help. Britpop was revealed on the debut album “Life Thru A Lens” (friendship with the Gallagher brothers was not in vain), but the Take That audience was not ready for such a turn of events. The disc would have failed if not for the ballad Angels, the single from which became a “millionaire” (which was not least contributed to by the scandal: the press dug up the Irish singer, from whom Rob allegedly bought the song after hearing him perform it in a bar).
After that, Robbie's business went smoothly, he stormed the charts and collected awards. The single "Millennium", inspired by the music from "James Bond", became his first number one in the UK, and the song "No Regrets", recorded with the participation of Neil Tennant (Neil Tennant) from the Pet Shop Boys, became the beginning of a series of large duets, which was continued by the song "Kids", where Rob sang along with Kylie Minogue (Kylie Minogue). Before conquering the world, he lacked only one thing - success in the United States. In this sense, EMI pinned hopes on the Escapology disc and even signed an 80 million contract with the musician (only Michael Jackson knocked out more labels), but the idea was not crowned with success. The single “Feel”, although it flashed on the charts of European countries, failed in America, and then things went even worse. Desperate, the singer quarreled with Guy Chambers and began to experiment: on the album "Rudebox", recorded with the participation of Soul Mekanik and William Orbit (William Orbit), Williams rapped and sang through a vocoder. However, you won’t be fed up with experiments, and three years later everything returned to normal. On the Reality Killed The Video Star album, although Robbie nodded a couple of times in the direction of disco, he clearly strove to return the favors of housewives. However, even here it is not without luck. The single “Bodies” is the very pop music that you are not ashamed of. And how good is the remix from Airplane….
Awards
Robbie Williams has never been deprived of the attention of all kinds of critics and academies. Already one BRIT 2010 award (the tenth in his career), presented this time for his contribution to the development of music, speaks volumes. Several times Robbie received the BRIT Award as the best British solo artist, twice won awards for the best single ("Angels", "She" s The One "), twice more for the best video ("Millennium", "She" s The One "). Williams has received MTV awards four times, including Best Solo Artist (1998, 2001, 2005) and Best Visual Effects in a Video (“Rock DJ”). Among the less significant awards, two stand out from the Smash Hits magazine, which in 1998 recognized Robbie as the best solo artist, and two years earlier officially awarded the title of "the funniest man in the world."
Being famous is what Robbie Williams has always wanted. And he managed to fulfill his dream. Even if you have never come into contact with the work of this British musician, you have undoubtedly heard about his scandalous behavior. This bad boy knows how to shock the audience. He knows how to charge a huge crowd with his energy and unique sense of humor. His concerts are a real drive. This is said by fans of the pop star, who see Robbie as a complex and interesting personality. Is it really?
short biography
Ordinary boy games, ordinary conversations with friends, ordinary family gatherings - Robbie Williams' childhood was quite ordinary for a British boy. He was born on February 13, 1974 in the beautiful English city of Stoke-on-Trent.
Rob is the common child of Teresa and Peter Williams. In addition to him, the girl Sally grew up in the family, a child from her father's first marriage. While the children played and explored the world, the parents were developing their own pub. Three years after the birth of Robbie, the marriage broke up. Teresa began to raise children alone, and Peter took the pseudonym Pete Conway and decided to make a career as a comedian.
It is not known whether genes or constant meetings with his comedian father influenced the development of the boy's sense of humor, but at school he was known as a clown. He was also lazy and a loser. But this did not stop Robbie from participating in theatrical performances on the school stage, singing songs on the guitar and captivating the hearts of those around him with his charm. In addition, he often got the main roles in musicals. If you look at the children's photos of this British singer, then the signature smile of a slightly oblique and cheerfulness immediately catches your eye - from a young age he was charismatic. No wonder the school plays came just for him.
Robbie's school life ended with a failure in the exams and ... joining a new boy group "Take that". Just on the day when 16-year-old Rob left the walls of the educational institution, his mother came across an ad for recruitment into a boy band. Teresa, not doubting her son's talent, invited him to try his hand. He took her advice and made the right decision: his audition impressed the members of the new group. 5 years of success awaited ahead as part of Take that, recognized as one of the most successful British teams.
Tours, constant concerts, awards, crowds of fans - this is what the life of an attractive young man consisted of in the early 90s. Participation in the boy band turned out to be not only popular for Robbie Williams. He became addicted to alcohol and drugs. The young man understood what it threatened, but he did not care. Even persuasion did not help the intractable guy Elton John who has already experienced all the perniciousness of habit. But the musician will turn to rehabilitation only in the late 90s, and in the new millennium he will still have to be treated for addiction with antidepressants. In the meantime, the charming Briton enjoys life and bathes in the love of fans.
But, as often happens, a well-coordinated team begins to disintegrate. That's what happened with "Take that". After 5 years of working together, disagreements arose. And if someone in the group tried not to talk about it, then Rob decided to rebel. He dyed his hair, started fooling around, and eventually left the group in 1995, admitting that it was a real prison for him. Why? All the work came down to rules and obligations that put pressure on him.
For a year, Robbie Williams drops out of the music world. Fans treat him very ambiguously, in addition there were problems with the violation of the terms of the contract concluded with "Take that" - in general, the popular Briton was not up to music. Having dealt with all legal issues, he embarked on a solo career and in the summer of 1996 released a cover version of George Michael's "Freedom-90". The public did not accept this single, as well as the next one.
Robbie was not going to give up and at the end of 1997 he recorded the song "Angels". The touching and tender track not only conquered the British hit parade, in which it was located for 27 weeks, but also became a national hit. It was from this single that the real popularity and demand for Robbie Williams as a solo singer began.
The musician's fame grew. In the UK, sales of his albums and singles reach record levels. In 1998, Robbie was even recognized as the best-selling singer. But besides Europe, there is also America. To conquer it, the artist records the album "The Ego Has Landed" - a compilation from two previous collections. But the American public reacted coolly to the appearance of the British singer on their soil. But the British could not wait for the release of his next single and album. The musician tried not to disappoint them and released new hits.
In 2006 - 2007, Robbie slowed down. He actively took up his health, which was faltering. Abuse of various substances and problems of a personal nature affected. After giving up bad habits, the inveterate bachelor decided to surprise the audience with a wedding. In 2010, he married American actress Ayda Field. The pop musician found real family happiness a little later: in 2012 they became the parents of a charming girl, and in 2014 - a boy.
Happy, grown up and popular Robbie Williams admits: children have changed his attitude to life. He is ready to sing their praises and admire every movement. But the performer does not forget about music either. A million crowd of fans are waiting for his performances and new hits. Disappointing them is not in Robbie's rules. Therefore, he continues to sing and is not going to stop there.
Interesting Facts
- The singer's full name is Robert Peter Maximilian Williams.
- Rob's childhood idol was John Travolta's character Danny Zuko from the 1978 film Grease. It was he, according to the singer, who influenced the development of his artistry.
- In addition to numerous awards, the singer was awarded an entry in the Guinness Book of Records. For this, he did nothing special: he simply announced the start of a world tour. 1.6 million tickets were sold per day. This was the reason for the appearance of his name in the book of record achievements in 2006.
- School plays are not the only thing that Robbie was fond of. He loved to play ball. The artist admits that if it were not for the music, now we would see him in a football uniform.
- The singer's name has been inducted into the British Music Hall of Fame. He was recognized as the best performer of the 90s.
- In the artist's hometown, three streets are named after his songs. Angel Road, Candy Street and High Street were a gift from the people of Stoke-on-Trent for Robbie's 40th birthday.
- The single "Have fun like a Russian" made a lot of noise. On the part of the singer, it was a joke, tomfoolery. But the Russian public was very interested in the attitude of the British to Russia. Feeling his responsibility, Robbie even began to look for a reason to communicate with Russian journalists. He told them that he admired the strength and spirit of Russia and that, if possible, he would definitely talk with Vladimir Putin. Although the song did not take high positions, it caused a lot of talk.
- There are 48 eggs in the singer's rider. So he takes care of his own staff. After all, they also need something to eat.
- A career in the group "Take that" turned into a scandal for the British. Posters with members of the boy band were ambiguous: fans had questions about Robbie's sexual orientation. That was the group's promotion policy. Subsequently, Rob even sued the print media, which accused him of unconventional connections. The British court issued its verdict - Williams is a normal man. The newspapers had to pay the musician compensation for moral damages.
- You can get acquainted with the personality of Robbie Williams in his autobiographical book Robbie Williams: All About Me. The name sounds quite “modest”, however, the image of the artist obliges. In addition to this book, there is another - "Feel".
- In 2001, the musician recorded a duet with Nicole Kidman on the song "Somethin" Stupid, which was once performed by Frank Sinatra. The single topped the UK charts, and the video shot for it allowed fans to enjoy the beautiful video sequence.
- By the way, Elton John nicknamed Robbie modern Frank Sinatra . The reason for this comparison was the voice of the singer - tenor.
- The body of a pop artist is decorated with more than 20 tattoos. Among them, family “inscriptions” stand out: Robbie immortalized the memory of his mother, grandmother Betty and grandfather Jack.
- The famous singer suffers from dyslexia. Skipping words when reading or writing in such a way that no one understands anything is in the spirit of people who happened to meet this violation. Another musician is nearsighted.
- Rob does not spare money and time for charity. In 2012, he captained a football team that participated in a charity match. All funds went to support the UNICEF organization that provides assistance to children. He later became her ambassador.
- Robbie's former women say that he is a very sensitive person. He is far from indifferent to public rumors regarding his work and personality. Such impressionability led to dependence on antidepressants - he could not live in constant stress.
- Before becoming a member of the popular boy band, Williams helped his mother in a flower shop. He also worked as a window salesman, but was fired for his honesty. The director did not like that the young man tells customers about the poor quality of products.
- Robbie is not indifferent to everything supernatural. The song "Angels" was written under the impression of the paranormal. The meaning of the composition, according to the musician, is literally the following: loved ones pass away, but return to look after us.
- The artist also collects everything related to Star Wars.
- Robbie Williams is famous for his extraordinary antics. To undress in the video, to be naked in public, to get drunk or fight - quite in his spirit. Scandalous fame fuels interest in him, although many fans do not share this behavior of the idol.
- In 1999, the football game "FIFA 2000" was released. She has a direct relationship with Robbie. First, he recorded the title track for her - " It's Only Us". Secondly, it was a 3D model, whose movements later became part of the computer graphics of football characters.
- The United States did not submit to the musician's work, but he achieved resounding success in Latin America. There he is always expected and greeted with joyful exclamations.
- Robbie has his idols. He listens to the vocals of Freddie Mercury, the music of John Lennon. His favorite bands are U2 and Queen.
The best songs of Robbie Williams
His iconic and most successful single is, without a doubt, Angels. For the British, this is already a classic, without which jukeboxes cannot do. The song is still the leader in sales compared to other compositions of the singer. Although 20 years have passed since the release (1997). Time has no control over her. Even Robbie himself considers "Angels" the most successful. How else did the musician captivate the audience?
- « feel"- another international hit that touches with lyrics, musical accompaniment and the characteristic voice of the singer. The frame of the track is a clip. Black and white footage is best known, although a color version has also been recorded. American actress Daryl Hannah took part in the filming of the video. Thanks to her, the song managed to attract the attention of the American audience.
"Feel" (listen)
- « Millennium" became the first single to reach the top position of the UK charts. The composition itself has a social connotation and accuses people of their vices. It's time to stop - the Lord sees everything, Robbie sings. It is noteworthy that in the video the artist performed in the image of James Bond.
- « Supreme"- the success of this track went far beyond the UK. It entered the top ten in the islands of New Zealand, and even reached gold status in France - it was not for nothing that the musician recorded a version in French. In addition to the song itself, the video for it is also attractive. In the video sequence, reminiscent of recordings on an old tape, the performer acts as a racer, striving to win the championship. Robbie's character was based on Scottish racing driver Jackie Stewart.
"Supreme" (listen)
- « Rock DJ"- an incendiary and danceable song that opened the top of the charts in Argentina and Mexico. And again the clip - it is impossible to pass by it. In it, Robbie is presented as a DJ who gradually undresses and eventually takes off his ... muscles. In the video sequence, there is both entertainment and satire familiar to the singer.
- « Candy"- another successful track, for which an equally attractive video was shot. Robbie tried on the role of a guardian angel in a soft pink suit. According to the plot, he saves the "honor" of a narcissistic girl, hovering in the clouds. The entire video sequence, like the song itself, is an attempt to make fun of young beauties.
"Candy" (listen)
- « The Road to Mandalay"He wrote under the influence of impressions about the most wonderful summer that the singer managed to spend after many years of constant work. The vacation ended and led to the writing of a song that topped the charts.
