My life as a popstar
When indie band Sleeper landed aboard the Britpop bandwagon back in
the mid-1990's, lead singer Louise Wener suddenly found herself a
celebrity. So why did she give it all up?
MY LIFE AS A POPSTAR
As a child, like so many of us, Louise Wener dreamed of being a pop
star. But for her it all came true. As the singer with sleeper, she
hit the big time during the Britpop era in the mid-1990's. The life
was everything she had expected it to be, and more. So why did she
walk away? Portrait by Fiona Freund
Starting out: Over a Chinese meal and champagne, Sleeper signed their
first record deal for £12,000. To celebrate, an executive from their
new record lable took Wener to a urinal and offered her her first
line of cocaine.
The press: Wener's plan to be provocative at first won the band much-
needed coverage. Then it backfired: 'I was depicted as sex-crazed and
whorish, and summarily demonised.'
New life: After several attempts, Wener finally sat down to write a
novel. Six months later, she had an agent, a two-book deal and a
novel to finish: 'It was, without doubt, the most rewarding thing
I've ever done.'
