B*Witched
| Company type | Girl group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Founder | Edele Lynch, Keavy Lynch, Lindsay Armaou, Sinéad O'Carroll |
| Defunct | 2002 (initially) |
| Fate | Reunited in 2012 |
Area served | Europe, North America |
| Products | Studio albums, singles, EPs |
Number of employees | 4 (members) |
| Website | www |
B*Witched is an Irish girl group consisting of twin sisters Edele and Keavy Lynch, along with Lindsay Armaou and Sinéad O'Carroll. Originally active between 1997 and 2002, they gained popularity throughout Europe and North America from 1998 to 2002, releasing two studio albums and eight singles, all of which entered the UK Top 20. Their initial four singles—"C'est la Vie", "Rollercoaster", "To You I Belong", and "Blame It on the Weatherman"—each reached the number one spot on the UK Singles Chart. Globally, the group has sold more than three million albums.
On 18 October 2012, B*Witched revealed their plans to reunite for the ITV2 reality show The Big Reunion, which aired in 2013 alongside other pop acts from the same era. Following positive reception, they officially reformed and released "Love and Money" in May 2013 as the lead single from their 2014 EP, Champagne or Guinness. To commemorate their 25th anniversary in 2023, they released the single "Birthday."
1996–1998: Formation and B*Witched
The group members first connected through dance classes in Dublin. Sinéad O'Carroll met Keavy Lynch while Keavy was working part-time as a mechanic in Finglas, bonding over shared musical aspirations. Lindsay Armaou became part of the ensemble after meeting Keavy at a kickboxing session. In 1996, Keavy, Sinéad, and Edele Lynch (Keavy’s twin sister) formed a band initially named Butterfly Farm, later joined by Lindsay. They briefly operated under the name Sister before settling on B*Witched.
The band adopted a tomboyish image aimed at younger fans and initially downplayed their ages. Their older brother Shane Lynch, known from Boyzone, assisted in securing management with Kim Glover, who signed them to Glowworm Records (an imprint of Epic Records) in 1997. Producer Ray "Madman" Hedges was responsible for producing all their releases. Their first live performance took place at Thompsons Garage in Belfast despite encountering technical issues.
Management designated Edele as the lead vocalist, which led to internal friction; Keavy felt marginalized, affecting her emotional wellbeing.
Their debut single "C'est la Vie" launched on 25 May 1998 just before their inaugural live appearance at Lawmuir Primary School. Although critics were divided, it climbed to number one on the UK Singles Chart, making B*Witched the youngest girl group to top that chart at that time. The track also reached number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100. The following singles "Rollercoaster", "To You I Belong", and "Blame It on the Weatherman" each secured the number one position in the UK. Additionally, they performed the theme song for Sabrina: The Animated Series. Their self-titled debut album, released in October 1998, peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart and attained double Platinum certification there; it also reached number 12 on the US Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum in the United States.
1999–2002: Awake and Breathe, O'Carroll's departure and disbandment
In 1999, B*Witched participated in the ABBA tribute single "Thank ABBA for the Music", which peaked at number four in the UK. They also recorded a rendition of "Does Your Mother Know" for the ABBAmania album and associated TV special. That same year, Yaboom Toys produced singing dolls modeled after the group. Alongside Britney Spears, they served as opening acts for NSYNC's world tour titled NSYNC in Concert. Their sophomore album, Awake and Breathe, released a year after their debut, reached number five on the charts and earned Platinum status. Its singles performed moderately well: "Jesse Hold On" peaked at number four, "I Shall Be There" at number thirteen, and "Jump Down" at number sixteen in the UK.
Following tours across Europe and North America—including co-headlining the All That Music and More Festival with groups like LFO and Blaque—the band began work on a third album. They recorded three new songs: "Hold On" (featured in The Princess Diaries), covers of Toni Basil's "Mickey" (included in Bring It On) and Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music". The latter two tracks appeared on their American EP titled Across America 2000, which also contained live recordings and their earlier cover of "Does Your Mother Know".
In 2001, "Where Will You Go?" was chosen as the lead single for their upcoming third studio album. On 4 July that year, B*Witched made a guest appearance on the US daytime drama General Hospital. However, prior to shooting the music video for "Where Will You Go?", their manager informed them that their record label, Sony, had dropped them. After spending a year without securing a new contract, O'Carroll departed from the band in June 2002 due to frustration over this forced break. The group officially disbanded in September of that year.
2012–present: Reunion, Champagne or Guinness and Live Performances
On 18 October 2012, B*Witched came back together for the ITV2 series The Big Reunion, sharing the stage with peers such as Honeyz, 911, Liberty X, Five, and Atomic Kitten (with Blue joining the lineup at a later stage). The program chronicled their individual journeys and preparation sessions culminating in a comeback gig at the Hammersmith Apollo. During this period, the group addressed long-standing disputes, particularly between Edele and Sinéad Lynch, which had hindered their joint efforts since 2006. Lindsay Lynch highlighted that extensive dialogue was essential to reestablish collaboration, marking a pivotal moment after more than a decade.
Capitalizing on the show's popularity, B*Witched embarked on an arena tour throughout the UK and Ireland in May 2013. They also contributed a charity single by covering Wizzard's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" for the Text Santa campaign. In March 2013, Edele revealed intentions to produce new music; by May, they unveiled the promotional track "Love and Money" on YouTube. Later that year, work began on their third studio album, with an update shared via PledgeMusic in December. Their EP Champagne or Guinness was officially released on 28 September 2014. Subsequently, on 12 February 2016, they put out C'est la Vie – The Collection, a comprehensive 36-track set featuring selections from their initial two albums alongside the 2014 EP. Plans were underway for an Australian tour in 2017, including performances with Atomic Kitten and Liberty X.
In October 2019, B*Witched introduced a fresh single—a rendition of Wilson Phillips' chart-topping U.S. hit "Hold On". Expanding their creative ventures beyond music, they launched the podcast Starting Over with B*Witched in March 2021.
Commemorating their 25th anniversary in March 2023, the group released the single "Birthday," indicating intentions to release additional singles in anticipation of a forthcoming album. The EP Ripped Jeans followed in August 2024, comprising three new songs: "So into You," "Multiply," "My Greatest Little Mistake," along with "Birthday."
Members
- Lindsay Armaou – vocals
- Edele Lynch – vocals
- Keavy Lynch – vocals
- Sinéad O'Carroll – vocals
Discography
- B*Witched (1998)
- Awake and Breathe (1999)
Concert tours
Headlining
- Jump Up Jump Down Tour (1999)
- All That Music & More Tour (1999–2000)
- B*Witched Live (2014–2019; 2021–2022)
- 25th Anniversary Tour (2023–present)
Co-headlining
- The Big Reunion (2013)