In 1985, Mel recorded two solo demos under the management of Alan Whitehead. The producers loved her voice and asked her if she would have someone to sing with and her big sister Kim became involved.
In December of that same year, Mel was treated for a malignant paraganglioma on her liver. Together, the Appleby sisters recorded five demos which got them signed with Supreme Records and the president of the label, Nick East put them in touch with music production team Stock Aitken Waterman.
In the United States, the song peaked at #78 on the Billboard Hot 100, topped Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart for a week in February of 1987 & Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart (along with "System.") The song also peaked at #23 on Billboard's Hot Black Singles chart, staying on the chart for 13 weeks.
In the U.S., the remixed version of the song topped Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart for a week in July of 1987 and also topped Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart.
By January of 1987, Mel began experiencing back problems which delayed the filming of the single's music video.
In June of 1987, during a promotional visit to Japan, Mel's severe back pain became apparent. When Mel returned to the U.K., she was diagnosed with a recurrance of the cancer in her spine.
The duo withdrew from publicity while Mel underwent treatment. Footage from their performance at the Montreux Festival was used to make the music video for the "F.L.M." single.
While the media speculated that Mel was terminally ill, the sisters denied it and stated that Mel suffered from a debilitating back injury.
The song was also moderately successful in Ireland, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and France. In the U.S., the song peaked at #9 on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.
By the time the single was released, Mel had withdrawn from the public eye after being diagnosed with spinal cancer. She had discharged herself from the hospital to record vocals for the track.
The duo made Mel's illness public and they both appeared on the Wogan Show in April of 1988 while Mel was still undergoing treatment as part of European Cancer Week.
The song was also featured on the soundtrack to the Eddie Murphy film, "Coming to America." Due to Mel's illness, the Appleby sisters didn't appear in the promotional videoclip for the song and the video featured a team of dancers in a studio.
After that, the duo disappeared from the public view while Mel continued with her cancer treatment.
Work on Mel & Kim's follow-up album wasn't continued due to Mel's illness. Sadly on January 18, 1990, Mel succumbed to pneumonia at the age of 23.
With the aid of her boyfriend, ex-Bros bassist, Craig Logan, Kim began a solo career with much of her debut solo album co-written with Mel for what was intended to be Mel & Kim's next album.
Her sophomore album, "Breakaway" wasn't commercially successful and had a limited release. She released three more singles in 1993 and 1994.
These days, Kim continues to be active in the music business.
To see a video for Mel & Kim performing "Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend)" on "Top of the Pops," go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGeB8FcCQ0o
To see the music video for "Respectable," go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJXmU5afCDM
To see a video of Mel & Kim performing "F.L.M." at the 1987 Montreux Pop Festival, go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJGP0-GjhsM
To see the music video for "That's the Way It Is," go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rosfa15nQg
To see a fan-made video for "I'm The One Who Really Loves You," go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajkR52EpveE
[updated on 05/20/13]
Giggles (born Maria Respeto in Brooklyn, New York) is a freestyle\dance musician from the 80's and 90's. She attended and graduated from South Shore High School where she received her musical training.
In 1990, Tiana released her self-titled debut album on MicMac Records. It's unknown how or if the album ever made the charts. 
Portrait were an R&B quartet from the 90s that originally consisted of Eric Kirkland & Michael Saulsberry (from Los Angeles, California), Irving Washington III (from Providence, Rhode Island) and Phillip Johnson (from Tulsa, Oklahoma).
In 1992, the group released their self-titled debut album which peaked at #70 on the Billboard 200, #16 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart, and #2 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart.
Their first single, "Here We Go Again!" peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100, topped Billboard's Rhythmic Top 40 chart, #11 on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart, and #3 on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart, staying on the chart for 30 weeks.
In 1995, Portrait released their sophomore album, "All That Matters" which peaked at #131 on the Billboard 200 chart and #26 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart.
Tia (born Tia Bocker) is a former pop\dance singer from the late 80s. At the age of 18, she was spotted dancing at a club in Merrick, Long Island, New York by DJ Jim "Chopper" Cohn's wife, Kathy. Chopper and Kathy later approached her to become a part of their entertainment company. 
Promise Circle was a dance music duo from the late 80s/early 90s that consisted of Alina Bianco and Raul Rodriguez. 
