1. Sonja Kristina was born on Sonia Christina Shaw; 14 April 1949 and is a British singer and songwriter, best known for starring in the original London production of the seminal 1960s musical Hair, and for being the lead vocalist of the 1970s progressive rock band Curved Air.
Sonja Kristina was the Rock, Jazz and Musical Theatre tutor for Performing Arts students at Middlesex University from 1991 to 1999.
Sonja Kristina first appeared on stage at the Swan Folk Club in Romford at the age of thirteen.
Sonja Kristina was generally known on the folk scene as "Sonja" having previously appeared several times on the British children's TV show Song and Story under that name.
In 1968, Sonja Kristina auditioned for and won the part of "Crissy" in the London stage production of the stage musical Hair.
Sonja Kristina briefly sang with The Strawbs, following the departure of Sandy Denny.
When Sandy left the band Sonja Kristina was going to be her replacement, but she did one show with us at a folk club in Chelmsford, and that was it.
Sonja Kristina remembered sitting backstage on the theatre stairs listening to a cassette of the band's music Hanau had given her, and being much impressed.
Sonja Kristina's experiences working as a croupier in the London Playboy Club during the early 1970s, reflected itself in the stage persona she later developed.
Sonja Kristina was romantically involved with Curved Air drummer Stewart Copeland; they were married from 1982 to 1991.
Sonja Kristina has performed solo, including as part of the acid folk movement in London in the early 1990s, culminating in her critically acclaimed Songs from the Acid Folk in 1991, and in a multi-media duo MASK, with Marvin Ayres.
In 1971, Sonja Kristina received the Sounds magazine Top Female Vocalist Award, and in 2014 the 'Guiding Light Award' at the Progressive Music Awards.
Sonja Kristina was in a relationship with Stewart Copeland from at least 1976; they married in 1982 and had two sons.