Prima Donna (British band)
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1980 |
Area served | United Kingdom, Europe |
| Products | Music singles |
Prima Donna was the act representing the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 1980. The ensemble featured sisters Kate and Jane Robbins, along with Sally Ann Triplett, Danny Finn, Alan Coates, and Lance Aston—who is the sibling of Jay Aston from Bucks Fizz, the contest winners the following year. Finn had previously been a member of The New Seekers and was married to former member Eve Graham. Kate Robbins later established a notable career as an actress, impressionist, and comedian.
Career
Performing the song "Love Enough for Two", Prima Donna secured third place with a total of 106 points. The track was penned by Stephanie de Sykes and Stuart Slater, the same duo responsible for composing "The Bad Old Days" for Co-Co in 1978, which had been the UK's lowest Eurovision ranking until 1987.
Their journey to the final stage of the Eurovision Song Contest in The Hague was marked by complications. They emerged victorious in the UK selection show A Song For Europe only after a countback, having initially tied with Maggie Moone. The event's host, Terry Wogan, requested fourteen regional juries to cast a single deciding vote, leading to confusion as some juries reversed earlier choices and scoreboard updates lagged. Despite these irregularities, Prima Donna was ultimately declared the winner and proceeded to Eurovision.
Among UK representatives at Eurovision, Triplett is one of only four artists to have competed twice, alongside Ronnie Carroll, Cliff Richard, and Cheryl Baker of Bucks Fizz. Notably, this entry was the first UK Eurovision song since 1964 not to enter the charts before the contest; it eventually reached #48. The group released one additional single in September 1980 titled "Just Got to be You," which did not achieve chart success. Shortly thereafter, they disbanded, with Kate Robbins soon achieving a UK No.2 hit single.
After Prima Donna
In 1982, Triplett returned to Eurovision as a member of Bardo, scoring a significant hit with "One Step Further," which climbed to No.2 on the UK Singles Chart. Lance Aston made another Eurovision attempt in 1983 with ex-New Seeker Kathryn Ann Rae in the band Audio; their song "Love On Your Mind," written by Trevor Spencer and Marty Kristian, finished fourth. Emma Robbins, Jane Robbins’ sister, also competed in 1989 as part of the female group The Pearls, placing fourth with "Love Come Down." Danny (Kevin) Finn toured across the UK alongside his wife Eve Graham and later transitioned into theme park design work before passing away in February 2016. Alan Coates focused on songwriting endeavors while Kate Robbins developed a thriving career as a singer, actress, and comedian.
Singles
Prima Donna's discography includes two singles:
- Love Enough For Two / Missing Out On Love (1980)
- Just Got To Be You / Let's Take Our Chances (1980)