Bellefire
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Louis Walsh, John Reynolds (project founders) |
| Defunct | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Ireland |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Bellefire was an Irish female vocal group, best recognized for their 2002 rendition of U2's "All I Want Is You". The original members consisted of Kelly Kilfeather (born 1979), Tara Lee (born 1982), Cathy Newell (born 1982), and Ciara Newell (born 1983). Tara Lee departed the group in 2002. Their sound primarily blended pop with adult contemporary styles. Although they found moderate popularity in Ireland, Southeast Asia, and certain areas of the UK, their global reach remained relatively limited.
History
Established in 1999 following auditions conducted by Louis Walsh and John Reynolds, the project was initially planned as a mixed-gender ensemble but transitioned into an all-female group due to the male candidates not meeting the required standard. Originally including Paula O'Neill, they first performed under the name 'Chit Chat', opening for Boyzone in January 2000 before O'Neill left. The remaining four members secured a contract with Virgin Records later that year, adopting the name Bellefire.
Their first album, After the Rain, yielded two singles that reached the UK top twenty charts. The lead track "Perfect Bliss" climbed to No.2 in Ireland and earned double platinum certification, achieving notable radio play in Japan. This success led to a strategic emphasis on the Japanese market, where the single topped international rankings and supported extensive touring and promotional efforts. Collaborations included working alongside Japanese singer Hitomi Yaida, which further expanded their presence throughout Asia.
The subsequent single "All I Want Is You" garnered significant airplay in the UK and resulted in an appearance on Top of the Pops. However, Virgin Records dropped Bellefire amid executive restructuring before their European album launch, causing their UK debut to be indefinitely shelved. Following this, Tara Lee left the group to pursue studies in fashion; the trio continued as a unit.
Bellefire went on to record new tracks such as 'Got Me by the Heart' and 'Turnaround'—the latter later covered by Westlife as an album title track. After signing with WEA (Warner Music) in 2003, they moved to London and released Spin the Wheel. Its lead single "Say Something Anyway" reached No.26 on UK charts and No.2 in Ireland, where it also achieved double platinum status.
Although additional singles like "You Were Meant for Me" were planned, these were cancelled due to delays. Despite promoting at festivals throughout 2004, follow-up singles including the title track "Spin the Wheel" failed to chart within the UK. The group then shifted focus back to Southeast Asia, where "Say Something Anyway" topped charts across Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines; they completed a regional tour and launched their album there. The UK release faced multiple postponements before being ultimately cancelled.
After Spin the Wheel was never released in the UK, Bellefire parted ways with Atlantic Records and subsequently disbanded.
Following the group's dissolution, Ciara Newell contributed backing vocals on Lee Ryan's solo album (2005), participated in RTÉ drama soundtracks, served as a judge on TG4's talent competition Glas Vegas (2010), and currently works at Universal Music Group London as a song plugger. Cathy Newell acted as a judge for Ireland's Star Stream Final (2005). Kelly Kilfeather collaborated with independent studio Little Tardis but did not release new material.
Paula O'Neill, who exited prior to Bellefire's official formation, pursued a career as a wedding singer and competed on The Voice of Ireland (2014), performing Pink's "Who Knew" but did not progress further.
In January 2017, three songs from Bellefire's unreleased debut album surfaced online without authorization.
Albums
| Year | Album information |
|---|---|
| 2001 | After the Rain
|
| 2004 | Spin the Wheel
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart rankings | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRE | NL | SWI | UK | |||
| 2001 | "Perfect Bliss" | 2 | — | 34 | 18 | After the Rain |
| "Buzzstyle (Find My Way)" A | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002 | "All I Want Is You" | 5 | 88 | 76 | 18 | |
| 2004 | "Say Something Anyway" | 5 | — | — | 26 | Spin the Wheel |
| "You Were Meant for Me" B | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Spin the Wheel" | 21 | — | — | 67 | ||
Notes
- A Issued solely in Japan.
- B European release was cancelled; available in Asia.
Unreleased songs
The following tracks are known but unreleased:
- "Got Me by the Heart"
- "I Hope You Dance"
- "Turnaround"
- "Light My Fire"
- "Don't Leave The Light On"
- "For You" (rumoured)
External links
- Bellefire Forum: Official Message Board
- [Allmusic profile]
- Bellefire Forever: Biography
Band members links
- [IMDb: Ciara Newell]
- [IMDb: Kelly Kilfeather]
- [IMDb: Cathy Newell]
- [IMDb: Tara Lee]
- Tara Fashion Spotlight