Editing Republica (section)

==History==
[[File:Republica live at San Antonio, TX in Dec 1996.jpg|thumb|200px|Republica live at San Antonio, TX in December 1996]]
===1994–1997: Beginnings, debut album and international success===
Former [[Flowered Up]] keyboard players Tim Dorney and Andy Todd founded Republica.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> They recruited singer [[Saffron (singer)|Saffron]], who was an actress at one point, performing for two years in London's ''[[Starlight Express]]''. She also appeared in the video for the [[Chesney Hawkes]]' hit "[[The One and Only (song)|The One and Only]]" and in the video for [[N-Joi]]'s single "Mindflux". She was also lead vocalist on N-Joi's hit "Anthem" in 1990.

Republica released the first single "Out of This World" in 1994, followed by the single "Bloke" in March 1995. In April 1996, their single "[[Ready to Go (Republica song)|Ready to Go]]" became their first to chart on the [[UK Singles Chart]], when it reached Number 43. Their debut album ''[[Republica (album)|Republica]]'' was released in the United States in July 1996 and reached No.&nbsp;4 in the [[UK Albums Chart]] after being released there in 1997.<ref name=uk/> The band added Johnny Male,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bishopsstortfordindependent.co.uk/whats-on/bish-bash-republica-are-ready-to-go-for-saturday-night-9068630/|title = Bish Bash: Republica are Ready to Go for Saturday night|date = 30 April 2019}}</ref> formerly of early 1990s [[One Little Indian]]<ref name="officialcharts.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/27006/soul-family-sensation/|title=SOUL FAMILY SENSATION &#124; full Official Chart History &#124; Official Charts Company|website=[[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]]}}</ref> act Soul Family Sensation,{{#tag:ref|also known as Sensation when their singer, [[The Shamen|The Shamen's]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/jhelisa|title=JHELISA|website=JazzMusicArchives.com}}</ref> Jhelisa Anderson,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://intothepopvoid.com/2015/04/30/soul-family-sensation-the-day-you-went-away/|title = Soul Family Sensation – the Day You Went Away|date = 30 April 2015}}</ref> left the band<ref>Sensation – ''Burger Habit'' 1993 One Little Indian catalogue number TPLP45CD</ref>|group="nb"}} as an official member on guitar, with "[[Ready to Go (Republica song)|Ready to Go]]" remixed as more a rock-sounding dance track. This version became their signature single and reached No.&nbsp;13.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/32741/republica/|title=REPUBLICA &#124; full Official Chart History &#124; Official Charts Company|website=[[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]]}}</ref><ref name=uk/> The fourth single, "[[Drop Dead Gorgeous (song)|Drop Dead Gorgeous]]", reached No.&nbsp;7.<ref name=uk/>

The group attracted positive press coverage. Emerging after a wave of female-fronted [[rock band]]s (such as [[Elastica]], [[Lush (band)|Lush]], [[Sleeper (band)|Sleeper]], [[Echobelly]] and [[Kenickie]]), they had, like [[Curve (band)|Curve]] and [[Garbage (band)|Garbage]], a notably more aggressive and electronic sound. In 1997, they contributed a cover of "[[Are 'Friends' Electric?]]" to the [[Gary Numan]] tribute album ''[[Random (album)|Random]]''. That same year, Saffron performed vocals for [[the Prodigy]]'s "Fuel My Fire" from their album ''[[The Fat of the Land]]''.

===1998–2001: ''Speed Ballads'' and dissolution===
The band's second album, ''[[Speed Ballads]]'', was released in 1998 and reached No.&nbsp;37 in UK Albums Chart.<ref name=uk/> Its lead single, "From Rush Hour With Love", peaked at No.&nbsp;20 in UK Singles Chart.<ref name=uk/> The band suffered when their label, [[Deconstruction Records]], folded shortly after the release of ''Speed Ballads''. Deconstruction's back catalogue was swallowed up by [[Bertelsmann Music Group|BMG]] and ''Speed Ballads'' was never released in the United States. In 2001, Republica went on hiatus. On their official site it was posted the message "Republica are not recording at this time".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.republica.com/welcome.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011117192046/http://www.republica.com/welcome.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 November 2001|title=R E P U B L I C A|date=17 November 2001}}</ref>

===2002–2009: Hiatus===
In 2002 BMG released the [[best of|compilation]] ''Ready to Go: The Best Of'' against the band's wishes. After the band went on hiatus, Saffron worked with [[the Cure]], appearing on the single "Just Say Yes" from their ''[[Greatest Hits (The Cure album)|Greatest Hits]]'' album. She also collaborated with [[Tom Holkenborg|Junkie XL]] for his 2003 album ''[[Radio JXL: A Broadcast from the Computer Hell Cabin]]''. In September 2008, Republica reunited at Windsor at a Contra Mundum concert. They played "[[Ready to Go (Republica song)|Ready to Go]]", "Drop Dead Gorgeous" and a [[cover version|cover]] of "[[You Got the Love]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.windsorfringe.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79:republica-reunion&catid=1:whats-on&Itemid=16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206110241/http://www.windsorfringe.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79:republica-reunion&catid=1:whats-on&Itemid=16|url-status=dead|title=Windsorfringe.co.uk|archive-date=6 December 2013}}</ref>

===2010–2020: Reunion, sporadic performances and new material===
In early 2010, Republica performed a string of gigs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/republica-1302478|title=Republica to reform for gigs and 'Ready To Go' reissue|first=Matt|last=Wilkinson|date=26 April 2010|website=NME}}</ref> They also issued a remixed version of "Ready to Go" entitled "Ready to Go 2010". In June 2010 the remix was released and reached No.&nbsp;1 on the Upfront Club chart. The track has been produced by Andy Gray and [[Alan Moulder]]. In October 2010, the band performed a comeback gig at [[O2 Academy Islington]] followed by several dates in Eastern Europe and the Middle East in 2011. They performed at [[GuilFest]] in July 2012.

The band released a new EP, ''Christiana Obey'', and also recorded a session for Brentwood radio station [[Phoenix FM]] in April 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.phoenixfm.com/2013/04/14/2013-creative-sessions-republica/|title=2013 Creative Sessions: Republica|date=14 April 2013}}</ref> A joint 20th anniversary tour with the band [[Space (English band)|Space]] took place in the spring of 2014. In October and early November 2014, Republica toured the UK in support of the Boomtown Rats "Ratlife" tour and took the opportunity to premiere some new material. Friday 29 May 2015 saw the public debut of more new material when Republica performed at the "Under The Bridge" venue in Chelsea, London, with support from Tenek and Kenelis. A deluxe edition of ''Republica'' was released on 28 February 2020 on [[Cherry Red Records]].

===2021–present: ''Damaged Gods''===
The band released a new single, "New York" in November 2023, from their upcoming studio album ''Damaged Gods'' scheduled to be released in the spring of 2025, their first in 27 years, on Armalyte Industries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jammerzine.com/an-exclusive-interview-with-republicas-saffron-new-single-video/|title=An Exclusive Interview with Republica's Saffron + New Single & Video|date=14 November 2023}}</ref> The second single off the album, "Hallelujah", was released 28 June 2024.

In June 2024, Saffron announced that [[Steve Hewitt]], former drummer of [[Placebo (band)|Placebo]] and [[Six by Seven]], had joined Republica as the band's live drummer.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 June 2024 |title=Important announcement !!! |url=https://www.facebook.com/saffron.sprackling/posts/pfbid02ZE2QucCQDqfzG3amkEW52W5e9CVYiyUPGch8K3UbVXM7jefs49tWZPUWgH9tczCrl |access-date=11 October 2024 |website=Facebook}}</ref>