Elaine Jill Paige OBE, born Elaine Jill Bickerstaff on March 5, 1948, is a renowned English singer and actress, widely recognized for her impressive career in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige began her professional journey at the tender age of 16, making her stage debut in 1964.
Her breakthrough role came in 1968 with the production of Hair, marking her West End debut. Over the next decade, Paige took on various roles, eventually landing the iconic part of Eva Perón in the 1978 production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita, earning her the Laurence Olivier Award for Performance of the Year in a musical. She originated the role of Grizabella in Cats and had a Top 10 hit with "Memory", a song from the show.
In 1985, Paige released the hit single "I Know Him So Well" with Barbara Dickson from the musical Chess, which remains the biggest-selling record by a female duo. She then appeared in the original stage production of Chess, followed by a starring role in Anything Goes, which she also co-produced. Paige made her Broadway debut in Sunset Boulevard in 1996, playing the lead role of Norma Desmond, to critical acclaim.
She has also appeared in The King and I from 2000 to 2001, and six years later returned to the West End stage in The Drowsy Chaperone. Paige has worked sporadically in television and has been nominated for five Laurence Olivier Awards. She has been dubbed the First Lady of British Musical Theatre due to her exceptional skill and longevity.
Paige has released 22 solo albums, eight of which were consecutively certified gold, and four multi-platinum. She is also featured on seven cast albums and has performed in concerts worldwide. Since 2004, she has hosted her own show on BBC Radio 2 called Elaine Paige on Sunday.
In 2014, Paige celebrated her 50 years in show business, announcing a "Farewell" concert tour and a new career-spanning album The Ultimate Collection to mark this milestone. Outside of her work in musical theatre, Paige serves as a vice-president of The Children's Trust, a UK charity supporting children with brain injury.
Born and raised in Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige's parents, Eric and Irene, played a significant role in her early life. Her mother, a former singer, and father, an amateur drummer, encouraged her love for music. Paige stands at just under 5 feet tall, which she believes has affected her career, losing out on leading roles. Her original ambition was to become a professional tennis player, but her headmistress pointed out that she would be too short to be seen over the net. Despite this, Paige continued to play tennis and considers it one of her passions.
