La Roux

Some pop names carry their whole story in their look, and La Roux is one of them. Formed in 2008 by singer Elly Jackson and producer Ben Langmaid, the act took its name from the French words for red-haired, masculine "le roux" and feminine "la rousse", a nod to Jackson's colouring and boyish appearance. Beginning as an acoustic outfit called Automan, the pair turned to electronic music and settled into a synth-pop sound.

Their self-titled 2009 debut was well received by critics and sold strongly, reaching number 2 in the UK. Its singles were a run of hits: "In for the Kill" also peaked at number 2 in Britain, while "Bulletproof" went to number 1 and sold over two million copies in the United States. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album in 2011. Langmaid left the group in 2012, and Jackson kept the La Roux name for Trouble in Paradise, released in 2014. That record earned favourable reviews but peaked at number 6 in the UK. Her third album, Supervision, followed independently in 2020, and her fourth, Old Flames, is due on 6 November 2026 via Vertigo Records and Universal Music.