Saffron

Samantha Marie Sprackling (born 3 June 1968), commonly known as Saffron, is a Nigerian-British singer, songwriter, actress and the lead singer of the electronic / alternative rock band Republica. She also performs solo and appeared in London's Starlight Express for two years. Early life and career Samantha Sprackling was born in Lagos, Nigeria. Her mother was half-Chinese and half-Portuguese and lived in Hong Kong. When she was 18, Sprackling successfully auditioned for Arlene Philips for a part in the musical Starlight Express. Sprackling began singing with N-Joi (their featured vocalist on their 1990 single, "Anthem"), the Shamen, and Jah Wobble. She appeared in the music video for the Chesney Hawkes 1991 hit, "The One and Only", and as a dancer in the music video for N-Joi's single "Mindflux". Saffron then had a brief career as a solo artist, with one of her singles - a cover of Atlantic Starr's Circles - charting at #60 in the UK in 1993. Republica Sprackling met Republica keyboard players Tim Dorney and Andy Todd by 1994, and they started writing songs after recruiting a guitarist and drummer. Republica released two albums and disbanded in 2001 after their record label, Deconstruction Records, collapsed.