B*Witched: The Irish Girl Group of the Europop Era

B*Witched is an Irish girl group that rose to fame in the late 1990s with their blend of pop, folk, and dance music. The quartet achieved immediate commercial success, with their debut single becoming the first by an Irish group to enter the UK Singles Chart at number one.

Early career

Formed in Dublin in 1997, the group consisted of twin sisters Edele and Keavy Lynch, their friend Lindsay Armaou, and Sinéad O'Carroll. They were signed by Epic Records in the UK, with their management seeking to create a pop act with a distinctively Irish, upbeat character.

Breakthrough

The band's breakthrough was instant and spectacular in 1998. Their debut single, C'est la Vie, shot straight to number one on the UK chart, a feat they repeated with their next three singles. Their self-titled debut album, B*Witched, was released that same year and reached number three in the UK, eventually being certified double platinum.

Key tracks

C'est la Vie - This debut single defined their signature sound with its infectious fiddle hook and pop-energy, securing a historic chart entry.

Rollercoaster - Their second consecutive UK number one, this track further cemented their popularity and showcased their harmonized vocals.

To You I Belong - A third UK chart-topper, this ballad demonstrated the group's versatility beyond pure pop-dance tracks.

Blame It on the Weatherman - Completing their quartet of consecutive number ones, this song maintained their momentum into 1999.

Jesse Hold On - A later single that featured a more mature pop-rock sound, taken from their second album.

The group released a second album, Awake and Breathe, in 1999, which spawned further top-ten hits like Jesse Hold On and I Shall Be There. However, changing musical tastes and lineup changes, including the departure of Sinéad O'Carroll, preceded a hiatus in the early 2000s. B*Witched has since reunited for various performances and tours, capitalizing on the enduring nostalgia for their late-90s brand of europop.

Fans of B*Witched's catchy, upbeat pop may also enjoy the work of other acts from the same era. The Irish pop group The Cranberries offered a more rock-oriented sound with distinct Celtic influences. For the classic 90s girl group dynamic, listeners might explore Spice Girls, who dominated the global charts. The Swedish pop act Aqua shared a similar playful, high-energy approach to europop during the same period.

The music of B*Witched remains a staple on classic pop and 90s nostalgia radio stations, frequently featured in rotations that celebrate the era's iconic hits. Their catchy singles are regularly played on various online radio streams dedicated to pop music history.

Listeners can discover the energetic pop catalogue of B*Witched through the radio stations available on onairium.com, where their defining hits continue to be broadcast.