"Juliet"
"Juliet"
Her recording debut was in 2000 as the singer for 1 plus 1. Their single "Cherry Bomb" from the Elektra Records album of the same title reached the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in 2001, as well as the Top 50 in the Dance chart.
Despite the initial promise of success, Richardson expressed displeasure with the marketing direction for 1 plus 1, and the act was recreated as alternative rock band MNQNN (pronounced "mannequin"). This music, differing greatly from the prior 1 plus 1 work, prompted Elektra to release them from their recording contract. MNQNN played rock clubs for a couple of years before the band went on an indefinite hiatus in June 2003.
Richardson persuaded Josh Deutsch of Virgin Records to sign her to that record label. She reconnected with Steve Sydelink who had worked in her bands and was the drummer in Madonna's band.
In 2004, Richardson returned to major label recording, after Sydelink introduced her to record producer Stuart Price (also known as Jacques Lu Cont) under the name 'Juliet'. The album resulting from this project, Random Order, was released in August 2005; reviews of advance copies have been well received by critics. The advance single, "Avalon", reached the top 5 on the European Dance chart in May 2005, and number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in March 2005. "Avalon" was popular at the 2005 'Miami Winter Music Conference'. The song also reached the Top 30 of the UK Singles Chart in April 2005. She scored a second number one on the U.S. dance chart in August with "Ride the Pain".
In August 2005, Richardson released her debut album on Virgin Records. Recorded with the help of record producer Stuart Price of Les Rythmes Digitales, Zoot Woman and Madonna's Confessions On A Dancefloor fame, the album drew comparisons to a young Annie Lennox or Madonna thanks to her coolly emotional delivery with a sultry sexual charge. Richardson collaborated with other producers on the album, Guy Sigsworth on the song "New Shoes" and Jacknife Lee on "Ride The Pain". UK radio DJ Pete Tong supported "Avalon" on his show. Overall the album mixed old school electro and funk with modern day pop sensibilities.