Nicola Roberts

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Nicola Roberts
Polydor
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  • Websitenicolarobertsmusic.com

    Nicola Maria Roberts (born 5 October 1985) is an English singer and songwriter. In 2002, Roberts was selected as a member of

    BRIT Awards, winning Best Single in 2009 for "The Promise
    ".

    In 2011, Roberts released her debut solo studio album,

    UK Singles Chart. Two follow-up singles, "Lucky Day" and "Yo-Yo
    ", both gained equally positive critical responses.

    In February 2020, Roberts won the first series of ITV's

    second series
    as a guest judge.

    Early life

    Roberts was born on 5 October 1985 in

    RAF and the resulting pay led to financial struggles which saw her father move to work for the Ford Motor Company whilst her mother became a photographer to help the family monetary problems.[1] Roberts grew up in Runcorn, Cheshire.[1]

    She attended

    GCSEs, but she declared her dislike of school and began discussing a musical career which led her to work with several girl groups recording demo tracks in several cases.[3] Roberts acknowledged she had always wanted to be a singer and had been entering competitions and auditions with her father accompanying her and gaining support from other family members also.[4] In an interview with Closer magazine, Roberts spoke about how she began her musical career at a local disco, as part of a girl band called The 5 Musketeers.[5]

    Music career

    2002: Popstars: The Rivals

    Still a teenager, Roberts auditioned for the reality television series Popstars: The Rivals. Participants checked into a hotel in Kensington, London, before performing to a panel of celebrity judges; Roberts found that, up to that point, she "didn't really have much life experience".[6] During the auditions she coincidentally sat next to Kimberley Walsh, who was to complete the competition to become one of five in the final line-up of the girl group; the two spent time rehearsing before their solo audition.[6] Roberts felt confident before the audition, but during the actual audition she was "terrified" and was unable to smile until celebrity judge Geri Halliwell complimented her performance stating "I think you're great, you're an individual, you really stand out".[7] Roberts found her clothing and personality were different from those of the other participants in Popstars: The Rivals; most were well-trained vocalists and were well-dressed, while her clothing was less fashionable, due to lack of funds, and she was not as vocally well-trained as the others.[7]

    Having progressed in the competition, Roberts was left as one of 15 remaining participants but found that the reality show was becoming increasingly based on personality instead of vocals.

    Cheryl Tweedy.[10] That night the group was formed, and a party involving promotional photographs saw their introduction to manager John McMahon, who would become more of a personal friend for the group.[11]

    Roberts described her time on the show Popstars: The Rivals and her successes within the show:[12] "Every week before I went on stage I used to go to the toilet, to the same cubicle, and pray, just ask God to please let me have this. Even though I was confident in my singing ability, and I knew I had a stronger voice than most at the time same time I still had a little bit of insecurity because I'd been told Louis didn't want me. I was never in the bottom two, though, and the producers told me I always came in the top two or three in terms of votes each week, which was great."

    2002–2009: Girls Aloud

    Roberts performing with the group in 2004

    "The people we knew, that I'd grown up with and had relationships with, just didn't see me as Nicola anymore; it was like I was this famous person and they didn't know how to speak to me. Even the boy I liked – all that had gone. I'd had such happy times there, having parties loads of us sleeping on the beach, and it just wasn't the same. People treated me differently."

    Roberts describing her return to her childhood holiday home in Cornwall.[13]

    After their formation on Popstars: The Rivals, the group

    Polydor Records. In the following days, however, news broke that McMahon had died in a car accident, shortly after texting Roberts, who was too busy to respond.[16] The death of McMahon had a large impact on Roberts, who found herself increasingly emotionally unstable; it came at a time when she moved in with bandmate Cheryl Tweedy, this being the first time she had lived without her family.[17] Thus, at this time Roberts was under great stress; the biggest problem, though, was the constant media criticism of her image, in which critics labelled her "unattractive".[18]

    Girls Aloud as a group enjoyed many successes, including two entries into the

    Sound of the Underground, peaked at number two in the UK and was certified Platinum. Their second album, What Will the Neighbours Say?, was certified double Platinum and peaked at number six. The third album, Chemistry, saw a critical improvement, but failed to enter the UK top ten. The fourth album, Tangled Up, became another Platinum-certified album, peaking at number four. Finally, their fifth record, Out of Control, became their first studio album to reach number one in the UK.[21][22] In 2009, Girls Aloud took a break after embarking on their 2009 Out of Control Tour in support of the Out of Control album – which became their most extensive tour – and following this, each member took time to work on solo projects.[23]

    2010–2013: Cinderella's Eyes, Girls Aloud reunion and other ventures

    Roberts performing at G-A-Y in support of Cinderella's Eyes in 2011

    "I've been looking at my album reviews today and, honestly, I could cry. It's a bit of a shocker. Someone tweeted me all of the mark-ups – the stars that the various papers had given it – and when you see them all collected like that, 4 out of 5 and 5 out of 5, it was just like: 'Oh my fucking god! That's incredible.' I could cry. It's quite amazing. And now the album's out there and I just have to hope that people like it. That's all I can ask for."

    —Roberts discussing the acclaimed reviews for Cinderella's Eyes.[24]

    In the Girls Aloud 2008 biography Roberts expressed an interest in writing and recording her own material, wanting to experiment in the studio for better understanding of the process.

    Diplo[27] and Joseph Mount.[28] Roberts after a year of recording announced that she would be releasing her debut album, Cinderella's Eyes.[29] The first single "Beat of My Drum" had an on-sale release meaning it had little promotion beforehand[30] and commercially it peaked at number 27 in the United Kingdom[31] but critically it garnered acclaim from critics which Roberts described as "amazing".[32] A second single "Lucky Day" was released shortly after and whilst gaining positive reviews[33][34][35] it failed to make an impact commercially peaking at number 40 in the UK.[36] The album was then released on 23 September 2011,[37] Roberts described the album as "electronically led",[30] and the album was inspired by her time performing with Girls Aloud – "It would have been stupid for me to make an album that meant nothing" she said.[27] For Roberts the album was about making a risky record, where there wasn't a guaranteed commercial success, explaining to The Guardian: "It's taken every last bit of confidence just to release this record, or maybe I've just brainwashed myself into feeling more confident. I don't know if it's good, or if I've just told myself it's good."[27] The album was released to universal positive reviews from critics,[24] reviewers such as Ludovic Hunter-Tilney of the Financial Times,[38] James Lachno of The Daily Telegraph,[39] Emily Mackay of NME,[35] Hugh Montgomery of The Independent and others hailed it as the best solo record from a member of Girls Aloud.[40] Commercially in the United Kingdom the album peaked at number 17[41] whilst on the Digital charts it peaked at number 13,[42] in Scotland it charted at number 21[43] whilst in Ireland it peaked at number 48.[44] In late 2012, Roberts admitted during a secret show at Carphones Warehouse on Oxford St, to a small pool of journalists, that she was content with and prepared for the potential commercial fallout of releasing an album that was 'unlike anything out there'. On 6 January a third single from the album was released, titled "Yo-Yo" the song was described as a "shining example of her pop sensibilities".[45]

    In January 2012, singer Rihanna chose Roberts to co-host Styled To Rock for Sky Living HD. Roberts was to act as an executive-producer and will search "for the next generation of undiscovered designer talent".[46]

    Nadine Coyle confirmed that Girls Aloud will perform shows around the country at the beginning of 2013 to celebrate their tenth anniversary.[47] On 11 March, Kimberley Walsh announced that Girls Aloud had started work on a new album.[48] Roberts was at the time a judge and mentor on Sky Living series Styled To Rock alongside fashion designer Henry Holland and Rihanna. Roberts co-penned "Going Nowhere" for girl group Little Mix's debut album DNA. In December 2013 she received disc award for her help with writing the album. The award was presented to Roberts for her contribution to Little Mix's first album DNA, as it has sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide.[49][non-primary source needed]

    After months of speculation, Girls Aloud's reunion would occur in November 2012.

    Ten - The Hits Tour 2013.[55][56]
    At the conclusion of the tour, they announced their disbandment.

    2013–present: Upcoming second studio album, The Masked Singer and City of Angels

    In October 2011, Roberts stated that she had started work on a second album.

    Only Human, entitled "It's About Time", "Throwback", "Goodbye Means Hello" and "Yellow Love". On the Girls Aloud's greatest hits album Ten, she contributed the track "On the Metro". Roberts also wrote two songs for Little Mix's second album Salute, entitled "See Me Now" and "They Just Don't Know You".[59]

    In January 2014, producer Fred Ball confirmed he was working with Roberts on a new album.[60] She also confirmed that she had written for Cheryl's album Only Human, which was released later that year.[61] In 2018, Roberts worked with Cheryl again, co-writing the songs "Love Made Me Do It" and "Let You".[62]

    It was announced in December 2019 that Roberts would join the

    ITV series The Masked Singer as Queen Bee and eventually won the competition.[64] On 15 August 2020, Nicola performed "The Captive's Hymn" at a VJ Day concert at Horse Guards Parade in London.[65]

    On 4 June 2022, Roberts performed "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" with Mica Paris and Ruby Turner at the Platinum Party at the Palace concert to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.[66]

    Personal life

    Despite a large amount of success as part of Girls Aloud, Roberts found time away from her family increasingly difficult. After her parents divorced and she experienced conflicts with her boyfriend, she found herself in a depressed state.

    Runcorn, Cheshire.[67] Her work life and home life saw her split into two different personalities; despite appreciating a career in the music industry, the conflicts with her personal life made her question her career.[67]

    Throughout her music career, Roberts was coping with hypoglycemia which is most likely caused by restricting what foods she would eat[clarify]; whilst spending time on the road touring, she found it difficult not to eat convenience food.[68] Her illness[clarify] was diagnosed after extensive touring in which time Roberts complained of weakness and sickness which made it difficult to perform live concerts. Whilst she performed on Girls Aloud's Tangled Up Tour, Roberts' dog Elvis died just months after he was given as a gift to her. She found his death very upsetting and struggled to cope as she was on tour at the time.

    Stalker

    A former partner sent Roberts 3,000 messages between 2012 and 2017 over Twitter and Instagram, some of which were described as "violent and threatening" when the case came to court. In May 2017, he admitted to one count of stalking and another to causing annoyance or inconvenience and was given a 15-month suspended sentence and a life-time restraining order not to contact Roberts or members of her family.[69] However, he broke the restraining order within a few months. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) apologised to Roberts in 2018 for failing to prosecute this individual.[70]

    Business

    In 2007, Roberts started a limited production of a make-up range called Dainty Doll aimed at the pale-skinned market.[71]

    Activism

    Anti-tanning

    At the start of her music career Roberts began to note that other girls were dressing more "glamorous" than she did, and at the age of 16 during her auditions for Popstars: The Rivals, she wished to look like them.

    National Assembly for Wales, she produced a bill in support of the ban.[75] At the launch of the bill Roberts said "Going into the streets of Liverpool and interviewing the young girls who are obsessed with having a tan and feeling like they had to be brown to be seen as attractive, that whole mentality that they had gathered was just a bigger problem than I ever thought it was."[75]

    Anti-bullying

    After winning Popstars: The Rivals, becoming one fifth of Girls Aloud, Roberts soon found herself subject to bullying.[77] She was branded "the ugly one" of the group, and would often "cry herself to sleep" finding herself to be a victim of "faceless" bullying fuelled by celebrities such as Chris Moyles and Lily Allen.[77] Soon after the comments had an effect on her mental stability after suffering from an "identity crisis" the taunts brought her close to a breakdown leaving her feeling "miserable and confused" and finding comfort in alcohol.[77] Prior to her fame Roberts never found flaws with her red hair calling it a "prized possession" but after critics picked on her image she saw it as a flaw with Roberts explaining "I hated it and I hated people judging me. I'd put on the telly and there'd be someone saying something cruel, or I'd open up a magazine and read it. Normal people don't have people telling them day to day they're ugly or miserable. [...] I'd think, "stop being so vain, you've got this amazing job" but it wasn't enough. It didn't stop me feeling bad".[18] "People feel they can say nasty things and have anonymity behind the net – as they did with all the nasty comments about me – without fear of recrimination", Roberts said, and five years after the bullying she found herself in a "better place", with critics commenting on her image positively with writers such as Clemmie Moodie from British newspaper Daily Mirror saying "the 25-year-old radiates confidence and, with a string of fashion successes has blossomed."[77]

    Roberts then wrote the track "Sticks + Stones" in response to these times, finding herself cautioned by the serious subject matter, she wanted to write a track that was not self-indulgent featuring a "universal" chorus" and lyrics such as "I was too young for so many things. Yet you thought I'd cope with being told I'm ugly".[77] After the release of her debut album Cinderella's Eyes, which featured the track, Roberts appeared on the British television show BBC Breakfast to discuss bullying in relation to the track.[78] Soon afterward she advocated the issue on BBC News; in an interview she discussed the lyrical themes of the track, and during the interview named social networking site Twitter as being a tool which highlights the severity of the issue of bullying, finding the problem to be "out of control" in a schooling environment.[79] Roberts continued to advocate on the issue of bullying; in an interview given to Rolling Stone, she stated she was "sick" of an image-driven society.[80] After her success with the anti-tanning bill Roberts took a similar stance with bullying saying "it doesn't need to happen" and found that British laws were failing to combat the issue with Roberts saying "People are still scared to go to school, kids are threatening to kill themselves; it's disgusting that it persists. So, again, I'm giving a voice to a cause, to hopefully affect change."[80] Roberts then progressed to the British education secretary Michael Gove to raise the issue.[79]

    Discography

    Filmography

    As herself
    Year Title Notes
    2002 Popstars: The Rivals Winner
    2005 Girls Aloud: Home Truths
    2006 Girls Aloud: Off the Record
    2007 St Trinian's Cameo
    The Sunday Night Project Presenter
    2008 The Passions of Girls Aloud
    Britannia High Cameo
    The Girls Aloud Party Presenter and performer
    2009 Nicola Roberts: The Truth About Tanning Presenter
    2010 Britain's Next Top Model Guest judge
    2012 Girls Aloud: Ten Years at the Top
    Styled to Rock Mentor and judge
    2013 Ten: The Hits Tour
    2020 Got What It Takes? Guest judge
    VJ Day 75: The Nation's Tribute Herself
    2020-2022 The Masked Singer 2020: Winner, masked as Queen Bee
    2021: Guest panelist for the final episode
    2022: Guest performer, as Queen Bee, with Robobunny
    2022 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special Herself

    References

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    3. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 220
    4. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 217
    5. ^ a b Kadri, Anisa (23 August 2010). "Nicola Ward, Story of the girl who turned down Girls Aloud". Closer. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
    6. ^ a b Roberts 2009, p. 21
    7. ^ a b c d Roberts 2009, p. 22
    8. ^ a b Roberts 2009, p. 23
    9. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 28
    10. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 60
    11. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 63
    12. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 59
    13. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 148
    14. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 65
    15. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 70
    16. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 78
    17. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 95
    18. ^ a b c d Roberts 2009, p. 100
    19. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 308
    20. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 312
    21. ^ a b Roberts 2009, p. 171
    22. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 173
    23. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 250
    24. ^ a b Roberts, Nicola (26 September 2011). "Guest Blog: Nicola Roberts – Lucky Day 5 – G-A-Y and Hair". Holy Moly. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
    25. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 217
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    61. ^ ACE. "ACE Repertory". mobile.ascap.com. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
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    63. ^ Ali, Jade (3 December 2019). "Nicola Roberts to make West End debut in City of Angels". London Theatre Direct. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
    64. ^ Lee, Jess (17 February 2020). "The Masked Singer winner Nicola Roberts reveals struggles with Queen Bee costume". Digital Spy. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
    65. ^ The Newsroom (14 August 2020). "Let's celebrate VJ Day 75 without crowds". Retrieved 2 October 2021.
    66. ^ Channon, Max (4 June 2022). "Platinum Jubilee Party at the Palace in pictures as it happened". WalesOnline. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
    67. ^ a b Roberts 2009, p. 101
    68. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 138
    69. ^ Hunt, Elle (6 January 2020). "Nicola Roberts: 'My therapist said I was one of the most resilient people she'd ever met'". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
    70. ^ Hellen, Nicholas (22 July 2018). "Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts wins apology from CPS over stalking case". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
    71. ^ "Nicola Roberts relaunches Dainty Doll make-up range". BBC News. 25 August 2010.
    72. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 297
    73. ^ Roberts 2009, p. 293
    74. ^ a b "Nicola Roberts: The Truth About Tanning". BBC. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
    75. ^ a b "Government and Girls Aloud star back under-18 tan ban". BBC News. 13 January 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
    76. Polydor. Archived from the original
      on 14 October 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
    77. ^ a b c d e Moodie, Clemmie (27 September 2011). "Nicola Roberts: I was bullied for four years over the way I looked". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
    78. ^ Roberts, Nicola. "Guest Blog: Nicola Roberts, Lucky Day, Sticks + Stones". Holy Moly. Archived from the original on 24 September 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
    79. ^ a b "Nicola Roberts: 'Twitter highlights bullying problem'". BBC News. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
    80. ^ a b Nika, Colleen (11 October 2011). "Nicola Roberts, One-Fifth of Britain's Biggest Girl Group, Talks Solo Record and Style Ambitions". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 October 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2011.

    Works cited

    External links