Samantha Fox released her debut single Touch Me on this day in 1986.
Fox first found fame as a glamour model in British newspaper The Sun. In 1983 at just 16 she began her modelling career and was soon one of the most photographed women in Britain. In 1986 she left modeling to pursue a music career and she came out of the gates with a huge track.
She was signed to Jive Records on a five album deal, they were reportedly looking for the ‘British Madonna’ and thought Fox might match the bill.
Touch Me, the title track from her debut album came out on March 10th 1986 and found chart success in many countries around the world. She followed it with another provocative tune Do Ya Do Ya Wanna Please Me?
In 1986 it was a time of double-denim, really big hair, and parent’s gasping about the rip in Samantha Fox’s jeans when the clip aired on Countdown.
For her second album Fox teamed up with a variety of producers including Stock, Aitken and Waterman who provided the song Nothings Gonna Stop Me Now and US hip hop artists Full Force who delivered Naughty Girls Need Love Too.
The hits continued on her third album when she worked with Stock Aitken and Waterman again on a cover of the Dusty Springfield tune I Only Wanna Be With You.
In 2023 Fox gave an in-depth interview about her career to podcast A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman. The popular podcast that explored, in chronological order, all the singles created by the iconic British production trio who were behind hits for Bananarama, Kylie Minogue, Mel & Kim and a handful of releases from Samantha Fox.
On the podcast Fox revealed her frustration that one of the tracks she’d recorded with Stock, Aitken and Waterman for her album was given away to Jason Donovan. Fox had recorded the song Too Late to Say Goodbye but the afterwards Aussie star Donovan recorded it with the production team for his debut album.
“I was really upset because I loved it so much.” Fox told hosts Matthew Denby and Gavin Scott. “I put a lot of work into it, I loved that song!”
Sam’s version of the tune was included on a deluxe version of her album many years later.
As the 1990’s arrived Fox’s fourth album saw her fortunes fade. Her 1991 single Hurt Me Hurt Me, But the Pants Stay On, failed to chart. In the 1990’s Fox found success as a songwriter, All Saints recorded her track Dreams on their Saints and Sinners album, it was credited to the pseudonym Karen Wilkin.
In the late 1990’s it was suggested that Fox may be in a same sex relationship, she officially came out in 2003 announcing that she was in a relationship with her manager Myra Stratton. Sadly, Stratton passed away in 2015 after battling cancer. She found love again, and in 2022 wed her tour manager Linda Birgette Olsen.
Fox released a new track in January, a collaboration with Marc Mysterio titled Tomorrow (Is Another Day).
