The One Voice That Believed: How Lulu Changed Engelbert Humperdinck’s Fate With Just One Sentence
Back in 1967, Release Me was a gamble—an old-fashioned ballad in a fast-changing world of pop and rock. While Engelbert Humperdinck had faith in the song, many in the music industry didn’t. Executives and critics were skeptical. Was it too slow? Too dramatic? Too… dated?
And then came Lulu—the teenage Scottish pop star best known for To Sir, With Love and her vibrant stage presence.
During an appearance on the UK TV show Juke Box Jury, a panel of celebrities was asked to judge the potential of new singles. Engelbert’s Release Me was one of them. Almost everyone on the panel dismissed it—except Lulu. She confidently predicted it would become a smash hit.
That one moment would become a turning point.
Motivated by her faith and fueled by determination, Engelbert pushed forward with the release. Against all odds, Release Me not only topped the UK Singles Chart but held off The Beatles’ “Penny Lane” from reaching No. 1—an astonishing achievement.
Engelbert later reflected:
“Everyone doubted the song—except Lulu. I’ll always be grateful to her for seeing something others didn’t.”
Their paths would cross again through the years, but that moment—Lulu’s simple, solitary support—remains one of the most pivotal in Engelbert’s career.
Behind every legend is a moment of quiet rescue. And in this case, it came from a fellow artist, not a manager or producer—but a young woman who believed in the power of a voice, and the emotion behind a timeless melody.