Lulu Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Lulu’s Net Worth?

With a net worth estimated at $30 million, Lulu is a Scottish singer, actress, television personality, and entrepreneur. Known by her birth name, Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie, she exhibited vocal talent from an early age. During her early teenage years, she started performing with a local band named the Bellrocks. Shortly thereafter, she signed with Decca Records, releasing her first single at age fifteen—a cover of “Shout,” which gained popularity in the UK. Her career flourished both in the UK and the US, leading to a successful journey as both an actor and singer. Some of her notable hit songs include “Here Comes the Night,” “That Boat That I Row,” “To Sir, With Love,” “Morning Dew,” “Love Loves to Love Love,” “Boom Bang-a-Bang,” “The Man Who Sold the World,” “The Man With the Golden Gun,” and “If I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do).” Additionally, she made appearances on numerous television shows and in films like “To Sir, With Love,” “The Cherry Picker,” and “Whatever Happened to Harold Smith?”.

Early Life

Birthed as Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie on November 3, 1948, in Lennoxtown, Stirlingshire, Scotland, Lulu grew up alongside two brothers and a sister. She spent her childhood in Glasgow, attending Thomson Street Primary School and Onslow Drive School. By the age of 13, she began her performance journey with the Bellrocks.

Breakthroughs in the UK

In 1964, under Marion Massey’s management, Lulu joined Decca Records. Her first significant hit arrived with a rendition of the Isley Brothers’ “Shout,” which, backed by the Scottish group the Luvvers, ascended to number seven on the UK Singles Chart. The following year brought another top-ten success in the UK with “Leave a Little Love,” and her later record, “Try to Understand,” made it to the top 40.

In 1966, Lulu toured Poland alongside the Hollies and recorded two German-language songs for Decca Germany. She later transitioned to Columbia Records, achieving another UK hit with the Neil Diamond-written track “The Boat That I Row.” Her decade concluded on a high note as she performed “Boom Bang-a-Bang,” which won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1969. This song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart and became popular across Europe.

To Sir with Love

Lulu gained global fame in 1967 when she made her acting debut in the film “To Sir, with Love,” starring Sidney Poitier. She performed the title song, which soared to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, becoming the best-selling single of the year in the country.

1970s – 1990s

Throughout the 1970s, Lulu maintained her popularity. Early in the decade, she released “New Routes,” recorded at Muscle Shoals studios in Alabama, followed by the album “Melody Fair.” In 1974, she performed the title track for the James Bond film “The Man with the Golden Gun”; however, it did not chart in the UK or US. Her cover of David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World” performed better, reaching number three in the UK, and she had a moderate success with the disco track “Take Your Mama for a Ride.”

As the 1980s rolled in, Lulu’s chart success waned as she focused more on radio, television, and theater. Despite this, she still achieved hits including “I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do).” Furthermore, she received a Grammy Award nomination for the song “Who’s Foolin’ Who.” In 1993, she made a recording comeback with her single “Independence,” which was also the title track from her album of the same name. That year, she was featured on

Take That’s popular cover rendition of the track “Relight My Fire.”

21^st Century

Lulu returned to the music scene with her 2002 album “Together” after nearly ten years without an album. Featuring collaborations with artists like Elton John and Paul McCartney, it reached number four on the UK charts. Lulu’s most successful track from this album was her duet with Ronan Keating on “We’ve Got Tonight.” In 2004, she released “Back on Track” and undertook a national UK tour. Her following album, titled “A Little Soul in Your Heart,” debuted in 2005. It took a decade for Lulu to launch her next studio album, “Making Life Rhyme,” which marked a reunion with her first record label, Decca.

Television and Radio

While her music career was flourishing in the UK during the 60s, Lulu hosted several of her own television programs. These included “Gadzooks! It’s the In-Crowd” on BBC Two and “Lulu’s Back in Town” on BBC One, which underwent various name changes from 1968 to 1975. The show offered a mix of music, dance, comedy sketches, and celebrity guest appearances. Beyond her series, Lulu also presented a variety of television specials.

In the 80s, Lulu became the host of a widely listened-to radio program on Capital Radio in London. She also co-hosted a revived version of the music television show “Oh Boy!” During the latter part of the decade, she played a role in “The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole” and began voicing the main character in the animated series “Nellie the Elephant.” Lulu remained a regular presence on television throughout the 90s and into the 21^st century. Among her significant appearances, she featured in two episodes of the BBC series “Absolutely Fabulous”; she was a judge on the reality show “Just the Two of Us”; and participated in “Strictly Come Dancing” and “The Great Comic Relief Bake Off.”

Film Career

After her acting debut in “To Sir, with Love” in 1967, Lulu went on to star in “The Cherry Picker.” However, her film appearances were limited, and her next notable role came in the comedy “Whatever Happened to Harold Smith?” in 1999, where she acted alongside Tom Courtenay and Michael Legge. Lulu made a brief appearance in “Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie” in 2016. In 2022, she contributed her voice to the documentary “My Old School” and performed the closing song.

Personal Life

Lulu tied the knot with Bee Gees musician Maurice Gibb in 1969. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1973 due to career pressures and Gibb’s struggles with alcohol. She remarried hairstylist John Frieda in 1977, and they welcomed a son named Jordan before parting ways in 1991.

In recognition of her contributions, Lulu was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2000 and became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2021.