New Zealand singer Margaret Urlich, best known for her vocals on The Horses alongside Daryl Braithwaite, has died at the age of 57.

She died peacefully on Monday surrounded by family at her home in the NSW Southern Highlands following a two-year battle with cancer.

New Zealand musician Margaret Urlich dies at 57 after two-year cancer battle - NZ Herald

Margaret began her career singing with Peking Man before joining When the Cat’s Away, an all-girl pop group in New Zealand.

Urlich became one of the country’s most successful artists with hits such as Number One and Escaping before moving to Australia in the late ’80s and releasing her solo debut album, Safety in Numbers in 1989, which went triple platinum in Australia.

She won an ARIA Award in 1991 for Best Breakthrough Artist.

In 1990, Urlich provided backing vocals on The Horses for Australian artist Daryl Braithwaite on his second solo album, Rise, which was released late 1990. It was a #1 hit for Braithwaite.

The video clip featured Braithwaite singing on a beach, with a model (riding a horse), lip-syncing Urlich’s voice.

Urlich chose not to appear in Braithwaite’s film clip as she had just released Safety in Numbers and was working to establish herself as a solo artist.

 

Fans flocked to social media to share their unique experiences with Margaret and to remember the legend that was.

 

Margaret Urlich