Lene Lovich – born Lili-Marlene Promilovich in Detroit, Michigan on March 30, 1949 – is an eccentric singer and songwriter best known for her new wave pop hits “Lucky Number” (1979) and “New Toy” (1981) released on the Stiff Records label. Born to an English mother and an American father of Serbian ancestry, her family relocated from Detroit to Hull, England when she was 13. She met fellow teenager Les Chappell, a guitarist and songwriter, who would eventually become her musical collaborator and life partner. As an artistic teenager, she created her own hairstyle that had her braids intertwined with strips of fabric – this unique hairstyle became part of her image when she became a performer. Lene Lovich dabbled in many artistic avenues including sculpting, cabaret dancing, and playing saxophone in a local funk group called Diversions, who released three singles and an album in 1975. In 1976, she released her first solo single, a cover of the Christmas classic “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.” She then collaborated with French disco producer Cerrone, co-writing the lyrics for his single “Supernature.” Her solo recording of Tommy James’ “I Think We’re Alone Now” caught the attention of Stiff Records’ Dave Robinson, who wanted to release it on the label. He asked Lene and Les to provide an original composition for the B-side and the duo wrote “Lucky Number.” The song was so well-received by Stiff Records that they decided to make it the A-side of the single and it went to Number 3 on the UK Singles chart. Her debut album, Stateless, was released in late 1978 and also included the Top 20 hit “Say When.” Two years later, Lene Lovich issued her second album, Flex (1980), which was a critical success although it didn’t sell as well as her debut. The album’s first single, “Bird Song,” was a Top 40 hit in the UK and Germany but the following singles failed to gain significant chart success. In 1981, her non-album single “New Toy” became a surprise hit on new wave and college radio stations in the US and became her best-known track in the States. Her third album, No Man’s Land (1982), was a creative triumph, although it was another commercial disappointment and she left Stiff Records. Lene Lovich pursued other creative avenues and took a long break from recording. She returned in 1989 with the album March, which was followed in 2005 by Shadows and Dust. She collaborated with artists such as the Dresden Dolls and Subterraneans before forming her own record label, Flex Music, and issuing a box set containing her three Stiff Records albums and bonus tracks in 2013. She formed the Lene Lovich Band and released the digital single “Savages II” in 2019.
