Katie Melua

Katie Melua (born Ketevan Melua on September 16, 1984, in Kutaisi, Georgia, later raised in Belfast and London) is a British singer and songwriter known for her gentle mezzo-soprano voice and emotionally rich folk-pop sound. She achieved major success early in her career and quickly became one of the UK’s best-selling female artists. Her debut album, Call Off the Search (2003), topped the UK charts and sold 1.8 million copies within the first five months. In 2005, she released Piece by Piece, which went four times platinum and featured the international hit Nine Million Bicycles. To date, she has released nine studio albums, including the reflective Album No. 8 (2020) and her latest release, Love & Money (2023). Beyond classic folk-pop arrangements, Melua has explored experimental projects such as In Winter (2016), where she collaborated with a women's choir from Georgia, and Aerial Objects (2022), created with composer Simon Goff. One of her most unique performances took place in 2006 when she performed 303 meters below sea level on the Troll A oil platform—earning her a Guinness World Record. Katie Melua was the UK’s best-selling female artist in both 2004 and 2005. With a mezzo-soprano vocal range and collaborations with acclaimed producers like Mike Batt and William Orbit, she has consistently demonstrated her musical versatility. She has also been open about her personal struggles with mental health—speaking publicly about a psychological breakdown in 2010 to help reduce stigma around the topic.