Born on August 21: Sarah Osborne, the white African Queen of Allez Allez

There isn't much known about the discreet English singer born in 1961. Here is some information...

At the dawn of the 1980s, thanks in particular to Annick Honorez and Michel Duval, founders of Disques du Crépuscule and the Benelux branch of Factory, Brussels became a magnet for alternative music.

Sarah learned her trade with Repetition, a quintet that recorded two 45s for Crépuscule in 1981, including "A Full Rotation," an abrasive funk album in the vein of A Certain Ratio. The group also participated in the legendary "From Brussels With Love" compilation, which was initially only available on cassette!

Just as Marine imploded for obscure reasons that are still difficult to unravel 40 years later, Sarah Osborne became the lead singer of what would become Allez Allez. She started with nothing less than a session for John Peel's legendary BBC show. In less than two years, before returning to England to marry Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17), she left her vocal mark, first on the mini-album of the revelation "African Queen" (1981) for the micro-label Scalp Records. "She's Stirring Up", "Allez Allez" and "African Queen (Pour la grâce)" in homage to Grace Jones have survived the years without aging. The following year, the album "Promises", undoubtedly too polished compared to the unbridled enthusiasm of the beginnings, constitutes the last known testimony of this singer with such a particular timbre. The album was nevertheless produced by Martyn Ware of Heaven 17 and B.E.F. (British Electric Foundation). Nevertheless, some tracks, including "Valley of the Kings" and "Flesh and Blood," still stand out. After Sarah's departure, and despite the arrival of Jackie Irwin (from New York), the group continued to slowly disintegrate, eventually disappearing in 1985.

Since returning to Great Britain, it seems that Sarah hasn't—officially, at least—participated in any other musical projects. But perhaps she still sings in the shower?

(MH with Stéphane Soupart - Photo : Etienne Tordoir)

Photo: Sarah Osborne with Allez Allez on stage at Forest-National in Brussels, Belgium, on November 7, 1982