Holly Johnson

Holly Johnson, born William Johnson on 9 February 1960 in Liverpool, is a versatile artist. He is not only known as a singer and songwriter, but also as a painter.

In the 1980s, he became known as the lead singer of the group Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Before his time with Frankie Goes to Hollywood, he was a member of the British punk music group Big In Japan in the late 1970s. He left the group in the spring of 1987 after disagreements about their musical development.

Johnson also had chart success as a solo artist. In spring 1989, he released his first solo album, which reached number 1 in the British charts. A well-known track from the album is the song "Americanos", which made it to the top spot in Austria.

In 1991, he learnt that he was HIV-positive. Johnson is one of the long-term HIV survivors, having lived with the infection for more than 33 years.

Johnson began painting in the early 1980s. His artistic style is characterised, among other things, by the striking use of phallic symbols and his exploration of homosexuality.

Holly Johnson has been increasingly active in the music business again since 2011. In 2014, he released "Europa", his first solo album in 15 years. Two years later, in 2016, the song "Ascension" was released, which is part of the soundtrack for the film Eddie the Eagle.

Holly Johnson lives in west London with his German partner Wolfgang Kuhle, with whom he has been together since 1984.