Chrissy Amphlett

Chrissy Amphlett was an Australian singer and songwriter who was the lead vocalist of the rock band Divinyls. She was known for her powerful voice and her provocative stage presence, often wearing a schoolgirl uniform and fishnet stockings. She was born in 1959 in Geelong, Victoria, to a family of musicians. She started singing at an early age and joined her first band, the Sect, when she was 14. She moved to Sydney in 1976 and met Mark McEntee, a guitarist who became her musical partner and lover. They formed Divinyls in 1980 with bassist Jeremy Paul and drummer Richard Harvey. Divinyls became one of the most successful Australian bands of the 1980s and 1990s, releasing six albums and several hit singles. Their most famous song, "I Touch Myself", reached number one in Australia and number four in the US in 1991. It was a bold and catchy anthem of female sexuality that became a pop culture icon. Other popular songs by Divinyls include "Boys in Town", "Science Fiction", "Pleasure and Pain", and "Love School". Amphlett also pursued other artistic projects besides music. She acted in several films, such as Monkey Grip (1982), Starstruck (1982), and Darkness Falls (2003). She also starred in stage productions, such as Blood Brothers (1988) and The Boy from Oz (2006), where she played Judy Garland. Amphlett had a turbulent personal life that was marked by drug abuse, health problems, and relationship issues. She married Charley Drayton, a drummer who joined Divinyls in 1993, in 1999. They remained together until her death. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2007 and breast cancer in 2010. She died in 2013 at her home in New York City at the age of 53.