H & Claire
| Company type | Duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Founder | Claire Richards, Ian "H" Watkins |
| Defunct | 2003 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Music singles, albums |
H & Claire was a pop duo from England and Wales, consisting of Claire Richards and Ian "H" Watkins, both previously members of the group Steps. In 2002, they secured three singles that reached the UK top 10 charts.
Career
Following the breakup of Steps on 26 December 2001, H & Claire initiated their partnership as a duo. Their first single, "DJ," was launched on 6 May 2002 through WEA Records and climbed to number 3 on the UK Singles Chart. The duo's second release, "Half a Heart," came out on 12 August 2002 and attained a peak position of number 8. November 2002 saw the release of their third single, a double A-side combining the original "All Out of Love" with a rendition of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast," which reached number 10 and remained in the UK top 40 for three weeks.
Their initial album, Another You Another Me, debuted in November 2002 and achieved a peak chart position of number 58 on the UK Albums Chart. Due to disappointing sales, WEA Records ended their contract with the duo. Plans for a sophomore album were shelved after Richards withdrew from the public sphere, resulting in the group's dissolution in 2003.
In May 2011, H & Claire reunited as part of Steps. November 2020 marked the release of B-sides and remixes from their album singles on streaming services, commemorating the album’s eighteenth anniversary.
In celebration of two decades since their debut single "DJ," they performed once more at Pride Cymru in 2023.
Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart position |
|---|---|---|
| UK | ||
| Another You Another Me |
|
58 |
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | |||
| 2002 | "DJ" | 3 | 69 | Another You Another Me |
| "Half a Heart" | 8 | 93 | ||
| "All Out of Love" / "Beauty and the Beast" | 10 | — | ||
Music videos
| Year | Title | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "DJ" | Patrick Kiely |
| "Half a Heart" | Cameron Casey | |
| "All Out of Love" | Phil Griffin |