Spotlight on Judy Boucher
The Jamaican songstress who took the UK by storm with "Dreaming Of A Little Island"
10 Feb 2023 | reggae
Boucher's passion for music started young. She caught the bug after joining her brother's band Judy Jack and the Beanstalk.
She soon went solo and her music career took a giant step in 1985 when local songwriter Felix Da Silva was on the hunt for a singer to cover his songs. Boucher answered the call. The duo recorded many songs across their sessions including "Dreaming of a Little Island."
The song rocketed to number one in the reggae charts. An album followed entitled Can't Be with You Tonight, which would find Boucher becoming a well-known international entertainer of the late-1980s. The album's title track was released as a single and became a worldwide hit in 1987; peaking at No. 2 in the UK.
Celebrity fitness instructor - Lizzie Webb - heard the song while driving and decided to feature it on her TV programme.
The song went viral and Boucher's producer released the song again to satisfy the demand. The song hit No. 1 during mid-week but then remained at No. 2 for four weeks in the UK. It was also a hit in the Netherlands, Ireland, Switzerland, France, Greece, Spain, and the Philippines.
Boucher went on to tour Swaziland, Namibia, and several other African countries, appearing on TV, radio, and in clubs.
At the height of her fame, Boucher was drawing crowds of 40,000 people.
Her follow-up single, "You Caught My Eye" gave Boucher another national hit, peaking at No. 18 in the UK.
She did a tour of the Middle East, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi of UAE.
