The varying fortunes of Girls Aloud: How Cheryl went from a pop act to a vanishing act, Nadine failed to break America, Kimberley stormed the stage as an ogre and Nicola made pale cool
On Wednesday, Girls Aloud confirmed they would embark on a reunion tour – ten years after breaking fans’ hearts when they disbanded in 2013.
Cheryl Tweedy, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh revealed they would be back in force with their tour kicking off next year, in the wake of their bandmate Sarah Harding’s death from breast cancer in September 2021.
During their hiatus, the foursome have all enjoyed a slew of projects, varying from solo careers to songwriting to reality TV stints – however they have enjoyed varying successes in their fields, with fickle relationships with the spotlight.
Cheryl has arguably enjoyed the largest slice of solo fame, with her slew of hit singles, her stint on both UK and US X Factor and a stab at West End stardom, however the success was cut up with a vanishing act from the public eye.
Nadine meanwhile tried and failed in America, Kimberley became a West End sweetheart with her turn in Shrek and Nicola launched a make-up brand designed especially for pale skin – earning her a place in the heart of the fashion world.
So what have the girls been up to?
Here come the girls! On Wednesday, Girls Aloud confirmed they would embark on a reunion tour – ten years after breaking fans’ hearts when they disbanded in 2013 (pictured in 2002)
Ladies: Cheryl Tweedy , Nadine Coyle , Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh revealed they would be back in force with their tour kicking off next year (pictured on Thursday)
CHERYL
Way back when: Cheryl has arguably enjoyed the most solo success since the group split
Fighting for it: Cheryl seized the moment with the solo window, as she started working on solo music in April 2009 and released her first song Fight For This Love in September that year before unveiling her album the following month
Star: While her music career was soaring, Cheryl was also acting as a judge on The X Factor for five seasons and scooping an ill-fated role on the US version of the show which culminated in a feud with Simon Cowell (pictured with Louis Walsh, Mel B and Simon Cowell in 2014)
Happier times: During the band’s hiatus, following her marriage to Ashley Cole, which ran from 2006 to 2010, she married restaurateur Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini after just three months of dating in 2014 (pictured in December 2014)
In 2009, Girls Aloud announced they were taking a hiatus to focus on solo projects, before a brief return in 2012 and their split announcement in 2013.
Cheryl seized the moment as she started working on solo music in April 2009 and released her first song Fight For This Love in September that year before unveiling her album the following month.
Her solo career went from strength to strength and she has now released a whopping four albums between 2009 and 2014.
Shock: They divorced in 2016, after suffering a painful split, during which Cheryl lost a dramatic amount of weight and sparked concern among fans (pictured in 2015)
While her music career was soaring, Cheryl was also acting as a judge on The X Factor for five seasons and scooping an ill-fated role on the American version of the show which culminated in a feud with Simon Cowell.
She made her debut solo performance of Fight For This Love on The X Factor in 2009, and later said of the show: ‘Oh My God, performing Fight For This Love on X Factor. I’ve never been so nervous in me entire life.
‘It was my first solo performance, on a show I was working on as a judge, and then, half an hour before I went on stage Simon [Cowell] said some dodgy things. Like, ‘Remember Cheryl, you’ve done this to yourself’…
‘I don’t know if he was giving me something to fight against, like ‘I’ll prove you b**ches wrong,’ or if he was simply saying, ‘I don’t know why you put yourself through this.’ I’ll have to ask him…
‘He’s changed a lot since he’s had a baby, so he might feel a bit bad these days.’
In December 2012, Cheryl sued the American producers of The X Factor for $2.3million (£1.4m). She received $1.8million (£1.1m) for the 2011 US series, and then sued for $2million (£1.25m) for the second season, plus additional damages.
In November 2013, Cheryl won for her settlement, for an undisclosed amount between her and producers Blue Orbit.
In March 2009, Cheryl climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief. Gary Barlow organised the climb, which was also undertaken by Kimberley.
They were joined by Alesha Dixon, Fearne Cotton, Denise Van Outen, Chris Moyles, Ben Shephard, Ronan Keating and Gary himself.
Lost love: She went on to have a son Bear, with One Direction star Liam Payne in March 2017 before they split in July 2018 (pictured with Liam in 2016)
Here she is: Cheryl is pictured during her stint on The X Factor US – which ended in tears in 2011
In 2010, Cheryl contracted Malaria, following a trip to Tanzania. Malaria is transmitted by an infected mosquito and it takes one bite to contract the disease.
During the band’s hiatus, following her marriage to love rat Ashley Cole, which ran from 2006 to 2010, she married restaurateur Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini after just three months of dating in 2014.
They divorced in 2016, after suffering a painful split, during which Cheryl lost a dramatic amount of weight and sparked concern among fans.
She went on to have a son Bear, with One Direction star Liam Payne in March 2017 before they split in July 2018.
Following Bear’s birth and her split from Liam, Cheryl dropped off the radar to focus on life as a mother. She said of motherhood: ‘Being a teenager is disgusting. I’d never want to be in my 20s again. My life since the baby, and my life prior to the baby … they’re two different people, in the best possible way.’
Earlier this year, Cheryl made her West End debut in 2:22 A Ghost Story, taking over the role from Lily Allen at the Noel Coward Theatre.
Her love: Cheryl has remained guarded about Bear, however grew candid talking about her son while appearing on the radio on Thursday
Star: Earlier this year, Cheryl made her West End debut in 2:22 A Ghost Story, taking over the role from Lily Allen at the Noel Coward Theatre
NADINE
Star: Like Cheryl, Nadine used Girls Aloud’s hiatus to explore her solo options and in 2019 collaborated with Boyz II Men on a cover of Take That’s Back For Good
She’s out: In September 2010, she released her debut single Insatiable, which peaked at 25 in the charts, followed by Sweetest High the following year
Happy days: In 2019, Coyle participated in the 19th series of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and finished in fifth place
Like Cheryl, Nadine used Girls Aloud’s hiatus to explore her solo options and in 2019 collaborated with Boyz II Men on a cover of Take That’s Back For Good.
She enlisted Barbara Charone, who has worked with Madonna and Christina Aguilera, as a publicist and Bruce Garfield as her manager.
The deal later fell through however in August the same year, she officially signed a deal with grocery store chain Tesco’s new record label, releasing the album through her own Black Pen Records imprint.
Yay! She delighted her I’m A Celebrity campmates with stories about Girls Aloud during her time in the jungle
In September 2010, she released her debut single Insatiable, which peaked at 25 in the charts, followed by Sweetest High the following year.
She continued pursuing solo success up to the present day including covering The Cranberries classic Zombie in October last year, as it was voted the number 1 Irish song of all time by RTE2FM listeners.
In July, she released a cover of Snow Patrol’s 2006 hit record Chasing Cars called If I Lay Here (Chasing Cars).
In 2019, Coyle participated in the 19th series of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and finished in fifth place.
In 2006, Coyle moved from Northern Ireland to LA and while living there she opened an Irish pub restaurant, Nadine’s Irish Mist as a family business.
During her stateside stint, she met American former professional player Jason Bell with whom she has Anaíya, who they welcomed in February 2014.
Wow! Nadine is pictured performing at London’s Mighty Hoopla in 2018
The happy couple: During her stateside stint, she met American former professional player Jason Bell with whom she has Anaíya, who they welcomed in February 2014 (pictured in 2010)
KIMBERLEY
Solo star? Nicola was plagued with rumours of solo material, however little came to fruition bar a song for the Horrid Henry film called Everybody Dance early doors
Nicola was plagued with rumours of solo material, however little came to fruition bar a song for the Horrid Henry film called Everybody Dance early doors.
In 2012 she made her West End theatre debut, playing Princess Fiona in the London production of Shrek.
After Shrek, the star collaborated with Alfie Boe to record a version of Queen’s One Visio’ as the Official Olympic Team Great Britain single.
She has also performed with a number of artists including Neyo with Hate That I Love You, Ronan Keating’s No Matter What and James Cullum’s Rainy Days and Mondays.
In August 2012 it was announced that she was in discussions with Gary Barlow to release a solo album for a 2013 release.
In September 2012, she was unveiled as one of the stars of the 10th series of Strictly and was paired with Pasha Kovalev on the show.
She finished as a runner-up to Denise Van Outen behind winner Louis Smith.
Kimberley, 42, is mum to three sons Bobby, eight, Cole, six and Nate, 18 months with husband Justin Scott.
Star: In 2012 she made her West End theatre debut, playing Princess Fiona in the London production of Shrek
Happy days: In September 2012, she was unveiled as one of the stars of the 10th series of Strictly
Dancing star: She was paired with Pasha Kovalev on the show
NICOLA
Belting it out: More so than the other stars of the band, Nicola expressed interest in writing her own music – something she went on to do to huge success
More so than the other stars of the band, Nicola expressed interest in writing her own music – something she went on to do to huge success.
She has written songs for Little Mix and in 2013, she received a disc award for her help with writing the album DNA, which sold more than 700k copies.
She also wrote four songs for Cheryl’s fourth album Only Human and two further songs for Little Mix on their Salute album.
Of working together, Cheryl said about Nicola: ‘Aw, forever friends. A huge part of my life. We work well together because we’re opposite – she’s melodic and I’m lyrical. She’d written for me before and I’d just tweak lyrics here and there…
‘But this time we were in the studio together, working side-by-side.’
During Girls Aloud’s hiatus, she started work in the studio with producers such as; Dragonette, Diplo and Joseph Mount and revealed after a year of recording she would be releasing her debut album, Cinderella’s Eyes
Here she is: Nicole is pictured at the launch of her Dainty Doll make-up collection
During Girls Aloud’s hiatus, she started work in the studio with producers such as; Dragonette, Diplo and Joseph Mount and revealed after a year of recording she would be releasing her debut album, Cinderella’s Eyes.
In 2011, the first single Beat of My Drum had an on-sale release meaning it had little promotion beforehand and commercially peaked at number 27.
Critically the single garnered acclaim which she described as ‘amazing’.
Lucky Day, the second single, was released shortly after and whilst gaining positive reviews it failed to make an impact – peaking at number 40 in the UK.
In 2008, Nicola launched a tiny selection of the cosmetics in conjunction with manufacturers Jelly Pong Pong, as part of the ITV2 show The Passions Of Girls Aloud.
In January 2012, Rihanna selected Nicola to co-host Styled To Rock for Sky Living, where she acted as an executive-producer on the show which would search ‘for the next generation of undiscovered designer talent’
But Nicola has spent the following 18 months hard at work developing an entire range on her own, and upon launching, the make-up went on to be stocked in the prestigious hallowed make-up hall at Harrods.
On deciding to do the line, Nicola explained: ‘The reason behind me doing this is because I had a point of difference and that was because of the pale skin and it was something I obviously felt really passionate about…
‘I was aware that there weren’t many make up brands that catered for women for extra pale skin so I feel proud that I’ve been the person to do it.’
In January 2012, Rihanna selected Nicola to co-host Styled To Rock for Sky Living, where she acted as an executive-producer on the show which would search ‘for the next generation of undiscovered designer talent’.
On 4 June 2022, she 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.
In February 2020, she won the first series of ITV’s The Masked Singer UK, masked as Queen Bee and in 2021, returned in the final of the second series as a guest judge.
She later returned again in the third series final in 2022 to perform a duet masked as Queen Bee with Mark Feehily masked as Robobunny.
Queen! In February 2020, she won the first series of ITV’s The Masked Singer UK, masked as Queen Bee and in 2021, returned in the final of the second series as a guest judge
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