“Fade to Grey” is the debut single by Visage, released in 1980. Written by Billy Currie, Chris Payne, and Midge Ure, with lyrics by Steve Strange, the synth-pop classic became one of the defining songs of the New Romantic movement. It reached #8 on the UK Singles Chart, #1 in Germany and Switzerland, #2 in Belgium, and the Top 10 across much of Europe.
The song's distinctive bilingual vocals (English by Steve Strange and French by Brigitte Arens) helped give it its mysterious, cosmopolitan atmosphere. Although it was Visage's only major international hit, "Fade to Grey" became hugely influential on synth-pop and electronic music, inspiring countless artists and remaining one of the most iconic tracks of the early 1980s.