Sonia (born Sonia Evans on February 13, 1971) is an English pop singer and actress from Liverpool. She became one of the most recognizable British performers of the late 1980s and early 1990s through a run of bright, energetic singles, many of them shaped by the polished production style associated with Stock Aitken Waterman. Her career is best known for the 1989 number-one single "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" and her second-place finish for the United Kingdom at the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest.
Sonia attracted the attention of producer Pete Waterman after repeatedly seeking an opportunity to sing for him outside his Liverpool studio. She was subsequently signed to Chrysalis Records, and her debut single, "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You," was written and produced by Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman. Released in June 1989, the upbeat pop song rose to number one on the UK Singles Chart, where it remained for two weeks. Its success established Sonia as a teenage pop star and also introduced her to an international audience.
Her first album, Everybody Knows, followed in 1990 and reached number seven in the United Kingdom. The album produced a substantial series of singles, including "Can't Forget You," "Listen to Your Heart," "Counting Every Minute" and "You Got Me Going." Each became a UK Top 20 hit, giving Sonia an unusually strong run for a debut album. She also appeared on the charity single "You've Got a Friend," recorded with Big Fun for ChildLine, and participated in Band Aid II's "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
Sonia's second album, Sonia, was released in 1991. Moving away from the Stock Aitken Waterman team, the record was produced by Nigel Wright and produced a further major hit in "Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)." The single reached the UK Top 10 and showed that Sonia could continue her chart career beyond the production style that had launched her. She also contributed to the charity recording "As Time Stood Still," made in support of Gulf Aid.
In 1993, Sonia was selected to represent the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in Millstreet, Ireland. Her entry, "Better the Devil You Know," was written by Brian Teasdale and Dean Collinson and chosen through the national "A Song for Europe" selection. Performed with characteristic enthusiasm, the song finished second behind Ireland's Niamh Kavanagh, earning 164 points. It also reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart. Sonia's third album, also titled Better the Devil You Know, reached number 32.
After her principal recording period, Sonia developed a parallel career in musical theater and television. She made her stage debut in Slice of Saturday Night and later played Sandy in a West End revival of Grease. She subsequently appeared in productions and tours including What A Feeling! and Eternal Flame, while television work included The Lily Savage Show. Her later music has included the singles "Fool for Love," "Dancing in the Driver's Seat" and "A Night That's Never Ending."
Sonia has remained associated with British pop nostalgia and Eurovision. She performed "Better the Devil You Know" during the interval of the 2023 Eurovision final in Liverpool and continued to make television and theater appearances, including a role connected with the production Now! That's What I Call a Musical. With one UK number-one single, 11 UK Top 40 singles and a durable Eurovision connection, Sonia remains a distinctive figure from the golden period of British chart pop.