For music fans, the Honeyz need no introduction as they were a huge RnB pop sensation in the UK in the late 1990s – unleashing timeless tunes including Finally Found and End of the Line.
The London based band was formed of founding members Heavenli Denton and Célena Cherry – who started out as a band called Essence before fellow singer Naima Belkhiati and they rebranded as Honeyz.
When Heavenli quit the band in 1999, the door was open for Mariama Goodman to join the group and the new trio continued to release songs enjoying success with their hit Never Let You Down and Won’t Take It Lying Down.
However, the band ultimately split in 2001 – but reformed in 2006 and later again in 2012 – and the ladies have all gone on to work on different things.
Here is what the Honeyz have been up to in the years since they first found fame.
Célena Cherry
Célena – who trained at Corona Theatre School in Kew – was lead singer of Honeyz and previously sang in a group called Illusion and formed the band Essence with band-mate Heavenli Denton.
The 44-year-old singer featured in every iteration of Honeyz all the way until the band bowed out of music following their 2013 arena tour as part of ITV ’s The Big Reunion.
Away from Honeyz, she was in a band called Anotherside which she created with her cousin following the failure of Honeyz’s second album being released.
Anotherside released one singe, called This Is Your Night, before Célena headed out on her own as a solo singer – self releasing her debut self-titled album in 2005, and planning to release a second in 2008, although it was shelved.
She has since turned her hand to acting – appearing in soaps including Hollyoaks and Doctors.
Mum-of-two Célena is married to a Michael Jackson impersonator called Danny Oliver and they perform together in tribute shows to the late King of Pop.
Célena and Danny auditioned for series 12 of Britain’s Got Talent in 2018, with scenes of the pair interacting with judges Alesha Dixon and Simon Cowell making it onto sister show Britain’s Got More Talent.
She also met the King of Pop himself in 2006 and told JustCelebrity: "I am very lucky to have a mutual friend with him so my friend asked me if I'd like to go to the World Music Awards 2006 with Michael, of course I said yes and we ended up travelling with him... it was the most memorable day of my life being stuck in traffic with Michael Jackson."
More recently, Célena has been brining showbiz news to controversial news station GB News, and has appeared as a contestant on the 2022 series of Celebrity Coach Trip.
She is also selling personalised messages via celeb video making website Memmo.
Mariama Goodman
Mariama was not an original member of Honeyz and instead took a role in the band when original third member Naima Belkhiat dropped out of the group in 1999.
While Mariama went on to pop in and out of the band over the subsequent 14 years – but along with Célena is listed as the second half of what actively remains of the group.
The 44-year-old had previously performed as part of a band called Solid HarmoniE who enjoyed top 20 success in the late 1990s with singles I’ll Be There For You and I Want You To Want Me – both written by pop music giant Max Martin.
Turning her back on music in the 2000s, Mariama retrained as a midwife – and has become a mother herself, welcoming a daughter in 2011.
She married British actor Andrew-Lee Potts – of Primeval fame – in 2014 and they welcomed a son together named Grayson in 2016.
Mariama and Célena continue to perform together at ‘90s music themed festivals – and also starred in the 2022 series of E4’s chaotic reality series Celebrity Coach Trip.
Heavenli Denton
Heavenli was a found member of Honeyz’s alongside Célena – but was the first to turn her back on the group, sensationally quitting in 1999 while in the middle of promoting the group’s third single, Love of a Lifetime.
Unhappiness with touring internationally, the urge to begin a solo career, and the desire to spend more time with then-boyfriend Matthew Marsden were cited as reasons for Heavenli wanting to quit the band – however she did return to the group for ITV’s The Big Reunion in 2012.
The reunion may have been awkward, however, as Célena had previously slammed Heavenli for turning her back on the group just as they were finding success.
She had said "I had so much hatred for her, for what she did. It's frustrating when it's not your fault, when someone else has messed up your life. I was angry."
Away from music, 46-year-old Heavenli has some impressive qualifications under her belt away from the world of music – holding a BC honours degree in ceramic design from Central Saint Martins and she is also a qualified aerobics instructor.
She is also co-director and co-owner of the Algarve International School, and is known to sing with the Algarve Jazz Orchestra.
As well as Matthew Marsden, Heavenli includes Peter Andre in her list of past lovers – while she is also mother to four children.
Naima Belkhiati
Naima was the third member to join the Honeyz when Célena and Heavenli rebranded and expanded after initially performing as a duo called Essence.
Joining the band in 1998, Naima continued to perform alongside her changing bandmates until the group split in 2001.
The 47-year-old opted not to return when Honeyz had a second stab at fame as part of ITV’s The Big Reunion – reportedly due to a fall out with the other members of the group who refused to take part if Naima did.
Fortunately, the singer has enjoyed considerable success away from music.
In 2006 she bagged a role opposite Ant and Dec in their big screen film Alien Autopsy – and featured in a film titled Heroes and Villains that same year alongside cast including James Corden and Jenny Agutter.
In the love stakes, Naima once caught the eye of Simon Cowell – who bordered on harassment when he showered her with gifts and attention.
Reports back in 2012 claimed – and detailed in a biography written by Tom Bower – Naima called in her manager, Dennis Ingoldsby, who told the X Factor boss: “She’s very young and she doesn’t fancy you. Please leave her alone” – only for Si to declare: “I can’t. I’m obsessed by her.”
While she has since taken a step back from the spotlight, Naima can be found on Twitter keeping an active interest in Honeyz related trivia, shares smouldering selfies, and has also revealed a keen interest in golf.
