holly valance

  Holly Rachel Vukadinovic (born May 11, 1983), better known by her stage name of Holly Valance (which was inspired by a bed-sheet), is an actress and singer who was born in New Zealand, but moved to Australia at an early age. Holly is related to the late British comedian Benny Hill—Hill's cousin was her grandfather. She was educated at the Star of the Sea College, a Catholic high school located in Melbourne, Victoria.

Career

Acting & Singing

Valance's big break came when she landed the role of Felicity 'Flick' Scully in Neighbours. Holly's first single was Kiss Kiss which was released in 2002 (based on Tarkan's hit single Simarik). The video for Kiss Kiss was notable for the impression that she was dancing naked, with her nudity only concealed by strategically placed lighting. In fact she was dancing wearing flesh-coloured underwear, and the footage of her dancing was then digitally retouched to create the illusion. Her dbut album Footprints went on sale at the end of that year. Kiss Kiss debuted at #1 in both the Australia ARIAnet charts and UK Singles Charts in (April-May 2002). Then her next song Down Boy peaked at #2 in the UK and at #3 in Australia, while her album Footprints debuted and peaked at #9 in the UK and at #16 in Australia. Her third single Naughty Girl peaked at #3 in Australia and at #16 in the UK. The first single State Of Mind from her next album of the same name then debuted and peaked at #8 in the UK and peaked at #14 in Australia, but the album didn't get into the top 50 of both charts. In 2002 she won the British GQ Award for "Woman of the Year".

Legal action

In 2003 she fired her then-manager Scott Michaelson (who owns Biscayne Partners Pty Ltd) by fax, 15 months before her contract was due to expire. Biscayne Partners Pty. Ltd. sued Valance Corp., won their case and were awarded damages by the High Court of Australia.http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/scjudgments/2003nswsc.nsf/27602436db586906ca256983001e137a/679755a97c84fedbca256dd400771e0f?OpenDocument During the trial Valance's mother, Rachel Stevens, claimed that Michaelson was negligent in his duties as a manager, which forced her to take over from his role as manager.http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/18/1063625137806.html?from=storyrhs&oneclick=true Former Neighbours co-star Kym Valentine also gave evidence that Valance "said she was feeling bad, a bit stressed out, because she was leaving Scott" and that "she said the solicitors for her record company would get her out of the contract and would be faxing him the paper work (from the UK) to do so."http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/15/1063478106496.html?from=storyrhs Valance denied that she told Valentine this conversation in court, even though she had signed an affidavit where she stated she had no recollection of the conversation.http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/19/1063625225977.html?from=storyrhs Justice Clifford Einstein said, "I have given close consideration to the question of whether or not the circumstances presently before the Court which do, it seems to me, show a calculated disregard of the rights of Biscayne as well as a cynical pursuit of benefit".http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/scjudgments/2003nswsc.nsf/aef73009028d6777ca25673900081e8d/4e21f1efc2380c48ca256daa00052b39?OpenDocument The court subsequently ordered Valance Corp. pay $350,000 to Biscayne Partners Pty. Ltd. Of this amount, $47,264.56 was "from shares Ms Valance and Mr Michaelson had bought together on the London Stock Exchange", http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/11/06/1068013328625.html though the court did not award in favour of Biscayne getting a percentage of sales of her album, State of Mind.http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/scjudgments/2003nswsc.nsf/27602436db586906ca256983001e137a/4e21f1efc2380c48ca256daa00052b39?OpenDocument