Eighties pop band unrecognisable 38 years after huge hit streamed 7 million times and getting married in real life

Despite their success, the band had been turned down by every major record label in the US

HUSBAND and wife pop duo Nu Shooz, comprising Valerie Day and John Smith, enjoyed success with their smash hit song, I Can’t Wait.

Now nearly 40 years on, the pair look very different to the funky 80s double act who stormed the charts.

The stars in their 80s heyday during the release of their song I Can’t WaitCredit: Alamy

The couple continue to perform in their native Oregon with their bandCredit: Getty
Based in their hometown of Portland Oregon in the US, lead singer Valerie who once had bright blonde hair, is now sporting a stylish blonde/grey streak at the front of her hair with the rest dyed black.

Meanwhile, John, who had the cool-dude long hair 80s look, is now be speckled and looks noticeably older.

An R&B Jazz pop sound, Nu Shooz released four albums throughout the 80s, including Poolside, which brought them to a broader audience.

Despite being turned down by every major record label, “I Can’t Wait” was making waves across the radio stations in Oregon.

Eventually, after the song was remixed in the Netherlands in a version known as ‘The Dutch Mix’ the band were signed by Atlantic Records in 1986.

The song made it to number 2 on the R&B charts and Number 3 on the billboard hot 100 charts. Their follow up song- Point of No Return topped the dance charts.

Then in 1987 great recognition came their way when they were nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best New Artist category based on the breakthrough success the previous year. To this day the song I Can’t Wait has been streamed 7 million times.

Their fourth album, Told U So had the hit track, “Are you Lookin for Somebody Nu,” hit number 2 in the dance charts. But unlike the previous success, the album peaked at number 98 in the Billboard 200.

Behind the music making, the pair also found time to get married and have been together for more than 40 years and continue to perform with their spin off band, The Nu Shooz Orchestra, a sound which they’ve called Jazz Pop Cinema.

As a team they are often credited with rewriting Portlands R&B sound and in 2007 where inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame.

In 2016 they released an album, Bagtown.

Valerie Day singing on stage in the 1980sCredit: Getty

The couple performing together at a freestyle concert in the USCredit: Getty