Honeyz

Honeyz
Company type	Girl group
Industry	Music
Founded	1997
Founder	Célena Cherry, Heavenli Abdi, Naima Belkhiati
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Products	Music albums, singles

The Honeyz are a British R&B girl group currently composed of Célena Cherry, Heavenli Abdi, with Cherry's sister Candace Cherry joining as a touring member. From 1998 through 2000, they secured five UK top 10 singles, including "Finally Found", "End of the Line", "Love of a Lifetime", "Never Let You Down", and "Won't Take It Lying Down". Their only album, Wonder No.8, was certified gold by the BPI.

Established in 1997, the original lineup featured Célena Cherry, Heavenli Abdi, and Naima Belkhiati. In April 1999, former Solid Harmonie member Mariama Goodman replaced Abdi until August 2000. Abdi returned to the group prior to their initial split in 2003.

The founding trio briefly reunited in 2005 for ITV’s Hit Me, Baby, One More Time. Naima Belkhiati declined to participate due to her acting career and was succeeded by Candace Cherry. After Abdi’s departure again in August 2006, Goodman rejoined, and the group continued touring until 2010.

In 2013, Cherry, Abdi, and Goodman came together once more for ITV’s reality series The Big Reunion, marking the first occasion that Abdi and Goodman performed simultaneously. Following the show’s success and a subsequent 14-date arena tour, Abdi left in 2014. The Honeyz carried on as a duo until Abdi’s return in 2023. Goodman exited in late 2024 and was replaced by Candace Cherry.

1997–2000: Formation, Wonder No.8 and Abdi’s initial exit

Célena Cherry auditioned under First Avenue Management to form a girl group and was selected alongside Heavenli Abdi, who was already signed with the company. Initially forming a duo named Essence and signing with Mercury Records, they were positioned as an R&B alternative to the Spice Girls and competitors to Destiny's Child, targeting a youthful pop-R&B audience inspired by groups like En Vogue. The group's name, Honeyz, originated from an encounter at a nightclub; management then added French-born Naima Belkhiati as the third member. However, Abdi later expressed dissatisfaction that Belkhiati was chosen more for her appearance than vocal talent, with Cherry taking lead vocals.

Their debut single "Finally Found" released in August 1998 peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart, selling over 350,000 copies. The follow-up single "End of the Line" also achieved commercial success, reaching number five. Their debut album Wonder No.8 attained gold certification in the UK with sales exceeding 200,000 copies. Internationally, they performed with orchestras in the Netherlands, appeared before an audience of 8,000 at Dublin’s ChildLine event, shared a duet with Lionel Richie in Italy, and earned double platinum awards in Australia for their first two singles. In the United States, they signed with Def Jam/Island and collaborated with producer Stevie J.

During March 1999, while filming their third single "Love of a Lifetime" in New York and promoting it in Australia, Abdi departed due to creative disagreements, homesickness, and aspirations for solo work. Her exit resulted in losing their US contract but paved the way for former Solid HarmoniE vocalist Mariama Goodman to join; this change was announced on BBC One’s Live & Kicking in April 1999. The updated lineup promoted "Love of a Lifetime," which reached number nine on UK charts. They performed at major events including London’s Mardi Gras and Capital Radio's Party in the Park before large crowds.

In September 1999, Honeyz supported Five during special Cadburys and MTV events at London’s Brixton Academy and Manchester Apollo. Their fourth single "Never Let You Down", featuring Goodman's vocals, debuted at number seven on UK charts—marking their fourth straight top 10 hit.

At the October 1999 MOBO Awards, Honeyz performed "Won't Take It Lying Down", which later peaked at number seven upon its February 2000 release—becoming their last top 10 hit. That year they received Best British Girl Band honors at the Maxim Awards, surpassing acts such as Spice Girls and Eternal. They were also nominated for Best British Breakthrough Act at the 2000 Brit Awards.

2000–2003: Abdi's comeback, scrapped album, and disbandment

By mid-2000, Honeyz had recorded a fresh track titled "Not Even Gonna Trip", which appeared on the UK edition of the Nutty Professor II: The Klumps soundtrack alongside artists such as Sisqó and Janet Jackson. Although the single was originally planned for release in late September, its launch was disrupted when Goodman departed in August due to disagreements with Belkhiati. Despite opposition from Abdi, Cherry, and Belkhiati, management reinstated Abdi under the threat of dropping the group. Abdi contributed vocals to the single, and the updated lineup was revealed on ITV programs SMTV Live and CD:UK on 19 August 2000, where they performed "Finally Found." "Not Even Gonna Trip" reached number 24 on the charts by late October. Following this, the group concentrated on producing their second album, titled Harmony.

On 5 August 2001, Honeyz released "I Don't Know", which peaked at number 28 but suffered from minimal promotional support. Later that year in November, they released another single, "Talk to the Hand," accompanied by a video broadcast on MTV Hits. However, Mercury Records eventually dropped the band, leading to the cancellation of Harmony. After parting ways with their management, Honeyz continued performing independently until they officially disbanded towards the end of 2003.

2005–2010: Initial reunion

In January 2005, the original members reunited for a performance on ITV's Hit Me, Baby, One More Time, delivering renditions of "Finally Found" and a cover of Nickelback's "How You Remind Me." The group formally reassembled for a 2006 tour; however, Belkhiati declined to participate due to her acting commitments and was replaced by Candace, Cherry's sister. Abdi exited once more in August 2006 and was succeeded by Goodman. This formation continued touring until 2010.

2012–2015: Second reunion

Although Cherry had previously stated there was "zero" possibility of a Honeyz reunion, it was announced in October 2012 that Honeyz would join fellow groups Atomic Kitten, Liberty X, B*Witched, Five, and 911 for ITV2's reality series The Big Reunion in 2013. With original member Belkhiati choosing to focus on her solo career and opting out, Cherry reformed the group alongside Abdi and Goodman—marking the first time both women performed together within the same lineup. The series premiered on 31 January 2013 and followed their rehearsal process culminating in a comeback show at London's Hammersmith Apollo on 26 February.

Honeyz's episode aired on 14 February 2013 and included reflections on their history and personnel changes, ending with a heartfelt reunion between Cherry and Abdi. Nevertheless, Abdi later commented on Twitter that some elements were exaggerated for television drama.

Initially intended as a singular event, their Hammersmith Apollo concert sold out in under five minutes. This success led to a 12-date UK arena tour from 3 to 12 May 2013 due to overwhelming demand. Additional performances were added across Ireland and Northern Ireland, followed by a short Christmas tour in December that year.

In March 2013, Honeyz confirmed they were working on new music and introduced a new track called "Price You Pay" during their arena tour performances, aiming for an autumn release. On 16 September 2013, they attended the National Reality Television Awards where The Big Reunion received multiple nominations. By February 2014, songwriting efforts were ongoing. On 31 July 2014, Abdi departed for the third time, leaving Cherry and Goodman to continue as a duo.

On 20 November 2015, Honeyz released "Definitely Something," marking their first single in fourteen years and debut release as a duo.

2018–present: Television appearances

In 2018, Cherry and her husband Danny took part in the twelfth season of Britain's Got Talent, with their audition broadcast on the companion program Britain's Got More Talent. Judge Alesha Dixon, formerly a member of the girl group Mis-Teeq, recognized Cherry. When Simon Cowell inquired about their background, Cherry revealed, "I used to be in a girl group called the Honeyz," suggesting the group was no longer active. Nonetheless, during the summer of 2018, Cherry and Goodman resumed live performances across the UK under the Honeyz name.

In January 2022, the pair featured on the seventh series of E4's Celebrity Coach Trip, joining other celebrity participants in Portugal including Matt Richardson, Honey G, Paul Danan, Ginny Lemon, as well as Birds of a Feather cast members Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph. They became the first duo eliminated, receiving a red card in episode five following visits to Porto and Figueira da Foz.

On 3 September 2022, Cherry and Goodman competed as a team on the BBC quiz show Pointless Celebrities, facing off against other well-known musicians.

On 17 August 2023, former member Abdi announced her return to the group via Instagram ahead of their 25th anniversary. A week later, on 24 August 2023, Cherry stated during an Instagram live session that although former member Belkhiati had been invited multiple times to rejoin, she declined; however, the opportunity remains open.

By October 2024, the ensemble began performing as a trio comprising Abdi, Cherry, and Cherry’s sister Candace. Abdi disclosed that Goodman had stepped away for personal reasons but might rejoin at some point in the future.

Current members

Célena Cherry (born 26 April 1977 in Hammersmith, London) serves as the lead vocalist of Honeyz. She also formed Anotherside with her cousin Alani, releasing the track "This Is Your Night" through V2 Records. In 2005, Cherry independently launched her solo album titled Celena Cherry. Alongside her music career, she has acted in television dramas such as Hollyoaks and Doctors.

Heavenli Roberts (previously known as Abdi and Denton; born 10 November 1974 in Paddington, London) was an original member who departed after the first two singles but returned multiple times before leaving again in 2014. She earned a BA honours degree in ceramic design from Central Saint Martins. Currently co-director and co-owner of Algarve International School, Roberts contributes as a columnist for Algarve Lifestyle Magazine, occasionally performs with the Algarve Jazz Orchestra, and is a certified aerobics instructor. She formerly managed the Algarve Juniors children’s choir and is mother to four children.

Former members

Naima Belkhiati (born 4 December 1973 in Avignon, France) was part of Honeyz’s original lineup alongside Celena Cherry and Heavenli Denton. Following the group’s disbandment, she appeared in films released in 2006 including Alien Autopsy and Heroes and Villains.

Mariama Goodman (born 26 October 1977 in London) is a vocalist and dancer who joined Honeyz after departing from Solid Harmonie, where she was signed to Jive Records in the United States. Goodman was with Honeyz from 1999 until leaving in August 2000 and later reunited for ITV2's The Big Reunion in 2013. She is now a qualified midwife employed by the National Health Service. Goodman is married to actor Andrew-Lee Potts and they have one daughter.

Timeline

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 bar:Celena   from:01/01/1998 till:12/12/2003 color:Celena
 bar:Celena   from:04/01/2005 till:07/07/2010 color:Celena
 bar:Celena   from:10/10/2012 till:end        color:Celena

 bar:Heavenli from:01/01/1998 till:04/10/1999 color:Heavenli
 bar:Heavenli from:08/08/2000 till:12/12/2003 color:Heavenli
 bar:Heavenli from:04/01/2005 till:08/08/2006 color:Heavenli
 bar:Heavenli from:10/10/2012 till:07/31/2014 color:Heavenli
 bar:Heavenli from:08/17/2023 till:end        color:Heavenli

 bar:Naima    from:01/01/1998 till:12/12/2003 color:Naima
 bar:Naima    from:04/01/2005 till:05/01/2005 color:Naima

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 bar:Mariama  from:08/08/2006 till:07/07/2010 color:Mariama
 bar:Mariama  from:10/10/2012 till:10/03/2024 color:Mariama

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Discography

Studio albums

Wonder No.8 (1998)

Tours

Co-headlining engagements

Smash Hits Tour (2000)
The Big Reunion Tour (2013)
90s Pop Baby Tour (2022)

External links

Category_2003 disestablishments in England Category Ballad music groups Category British R&B girl groups Category Mercury Records artists Category Def Jam Recordings artists