| 2012-11-20 | One Direction and Girls Aloud perform for the Queen | Singing superstars Alicia Keys, One Direction, Kylie Minogue and Girls Aloud took to the stage in London on Monday to perform at the 100th anniversary of the Royal Variety Performance.
Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, were also treated to songs by Rod Stewart, Neil Diamond and Robbie Williams at the annual spectacular, held at the Royal Albert Hall and hosted by David Walliams.
Classical singers Placido Domingo and Katherine Jenkins teamed up for a moving duet at the centenary show, the 36th attended by the Queen.
Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts took to Twitter.com to express her delight after meeting the monarch, writing, "I'm so excited, I've just met the Queen. I've always wanted to meet her. She was sparkling from head to toe," while her bandmate Cheryl Cole added, "The Queen is so delicate. She has hair like candy floss and tiny little dancing style shoes. Awww."
Meanwhile, New York native Keys was thrilled to play the show, insisting, "They showed me these amazing videos of different people performing at different times. Barbra Streisand I saw, Julie Andrews I saw. I mean, there's so many incredible legends who have been on this stage."
And Diamond added, "What an honor it is to sing for Her Majesty the Queen of England. A night to remember."
Every act in the star-studded line-up agreed to perform for free, and all proceeds generated will be donated to charity.
Source: Ananova |
| 2012-10-23 | Girls Aloud confirm comeback | Pop stars Girls Aloud spent months sneaking around as they put together plans for their 10th anniversary comeback and even recorded their new single separately on different sides of the Atlantic.
The girl group, have been on hiatus for the last three years but they reunited at a press conference in London on Friday to announce their return a decade after they shot to fame in 2002.
The five-piece has released a comeback single, is set to head off on a U.K. tour next year, and will put out a second greatest hits album, Ten, following its 2006 compilation The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits.
The singers have now revealed they spent several months sneaking around as they attempted to record their new music in secret, with Cole describing the project as a "cloak and daggers" (sic) affair.
Coyle, who is now based in Los Angeles, also revealed the stars went into the studio separately to lay down vocals for their parts and she contributed on the other side of the Atlantic.
She told reporters, "(It was in) April or May... we went into the studio separately to record our different parts and it was all put together into something we were all happy with."
Roberts adds, "Nadine was in America... and because of the time difference I was writing melodies in the morning so she could sing them in the afternoon."
The 10 greatest hits album features a number of new songs, and fans are invited to choose the tracklisting for a second disc in a deluxe box set, but the group currently has no plans to record a new album.
Cole says, "We haven't made any plans further than the tour... it's so much preparation just to get to this point. So no one knows."
However, Coyle is convinced a new album will depend on how well Ten does in the charts, adding, "We'll wait and see how the fans react and take it from there."
Source: Ananova |
| 2012-10-16 | Girls Aloud to split for good after 10th anniversary trek | Girls Aloud is to split for good after a 10th anniversary tour.
Cheryl Cole, who has enjoyed a successful solo career since the group announced a hiatus in 2009, has opened up about the band's plans in her autobiography, Cheryl: My Story.
She writes, "We'll be working on a tour and greatest hits album. Then I think that's it for Girls Aloud. We've achieved more than any of us ever dared to dream of."
The group relaunched its official website last Tuesday and reports suggest Cole and her bandmates will stage a comeback at the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 19 November.
They last released an album in 2008. Their comeback single will benefit Children In Need.
Source: Ananova |
| 2010-09-06 | Coyle sets up her own label | Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle has set up her own record label so she can release her debut solo album.
The singer has been working on her own material since her bandmates - Cheryl Cole, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh - agreed to go on hiatus last year.
Coyle has signed a deal to stock her record Insatiable exclusively in supermarket chain Tesco, and will be putting the disc out through her own label - Black Pen Records - in November.
She says, "The traditional model for selling an album isn't the only way of doing things. To be able to create an album where you are in complete control of your own work is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an artist."
Source: Ananova |
| 2010-08-02 | Cole back in recording studio | Cheryl Cole is refusing to let her recent battle with malaria slow her down - she's heading into the studio to work on her next album during her vacation in Los Angeles, according to a report.
The Girls Aloud star was treated in an intensive care unit earlier this month after she fell sick with the deadly tropical disease, which she is believed to have picked up on a trip to Tanzania.
Cole cancelled all of her imminent work commitments, including her judging role on The X Factor, to give her time to recover from the illness and she has been resting at her home in Surrey for the last two weeks.
The star showed her health had improved by jetting off to L.A. this week for a break with her dancer pal Derek Hough to aid her recuperation.
But the trip is a working holiday for Cole, according to The Sun.
A source tells the newspaper, "Cheryl couldn't sit around any longer. She feels 100 times better and wants to get some normality back. She was going crazy sitting around at home.
"She wants a change of scenery so has decided to go to Los Angeles and get back into the studio. But it's still nowhere near the work schedule she had before she fell ill."
Source: Ananova |
| 2010-07-14 | Cole's illness shocked charity chiefs | Comic Relief bosses are "absolutely shocked" Cheryl Cole has contracted malaria - after the singer scaled Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness of the need for mosquito nets in Africa.
The Girls Aloud singer has been in hospital since she was diagnosed with the potentially deadly disease earlier this month after collapsing at a photoshoot.
She is believed to have contracted the mosquito-borne illness during a trip to Tanzania with dancer Derek Hough last month.
But bosses at Comic Relief organisation are in disbelief that Cole is suffering from the disease after she took part in the African climb last year to raise cash to buy mosquito nets in the country.
In a statement, they say, "When news reached us that our good friend Cheryl Tweedy had contracted malaria last week, we were absolutely shocked. It's only a short time ago that she, along with eight of her celebrity friends, completed a gruelling physical challenge to raise money for Comic Relief to buy and distribute malaria nets - the first step in preventing families and children in Africa from contracting this deadly disease.
"Cheryl did an amazing thing when she climbed Mount Kilimanjaro last year, and she knows what a devastating effect malaria can have on anyone who catches it - especially for those children and families living in poor countries where they have no access to healthcare.
"Thanks to Cheryl and the team's huge fundraising efforts, Comic Relief has been able to distribute thousands of malaria nets, helping to save lives and prevent many children from contracting the disease. We wish Cheryl a very speedy recovery."
Cole took part in the climb with a string of other stars, including bandmate Kimberley Walsh, Gary Barlow and Boyzone's Ronan Keating, and helped raise £1.4 million.
Source: Ananova |
| 2009-08-10 | Girls Aloud: What Goes On After Their Gigs | Girls Aloud have revealed their post gig routine in an exclusive peek behind the scenes of their recent concert at the 02 arena.
If you imagined the girls relaxing backstage after a show with champagne and chocolates, then the reality of five girls sitting around in their dressing gowns with their feet in buckets of hot water might come as a surprise.
Nicola Roberts, Nadine Coyle and Sarah Harding tell a Sky1 documentary team: "When we come off stage, our feet are like elephants'.
"We usually find the nearest footbath and sit with our robes on discussing how the show went with our feet sizzling in buckets."
Cheryl Cole admits they found the show particularly demanding: "This is the biggest production we've ever done on tour.
"Because we believe as a band that we should bigger and better with each year that we tour."
The girls say they never get over the nerves: "It's scary, it's really scary," says Nadine. Nicola adds: "Knees trembling, eyes watering. Petrifying, scary.
"Just before I go on stage, it's a mixture of feelings. I suppose I don't really realise what I'm about to do til I hear all the screams and the crowd.
"Then I get a reality check, like 'oh my god, this is really going to happen," says Kimberley.
But Cheryl says the fans make all the hard work worthwhile: "To hear the fans screaming, it's your buzz, it's what you live to do.
"There's no feeling like hearing 15,000 people chant 'Girls Aloud'. That is the biggest buzz of what we do, full stop."
The girls also say it is sometimes hard to concentrate when they're onstage because they distract each other:
"It's funny when we're on stage, because when you're in performance mode, it's almost like you're not how you are in real life. So when you look around and I'm seeing [Cheryl] go for it, I'm like 'look at her going for it!'" says Nicola.
"For me, when you're up there, I just love when you catch somebody's face randomly and they've got that expression on their face, of pure enjoyment and excitement and that just keeps spurring me on," adds Kimberley.
The concert and backstage footage showed exclusively on Sky1 and Sky1 HD on Saturday 8th August at 8pm.
Source: Ananova |
| 2008-10-28 | Girls Aloud seek out Ne-Yo collaboration | Girls Aloud say they want r’n’b songwriter extraordinaire Ne-Yo to write material for them.
The girl band, who currently top the UK singles chart with new single 'The Promise', have admitted they are jealous of songs Ne-Yo has penned for other artists.
Sarah Harding and Nicola Roberts wrote in the Daily Star: "Ne-Yo is an artist we love and we would work with him at the drop of a hat.
"The songs he’s written for Rihanna and Leona Lewis are amazing and his lyrics really touch us."
But the girls also reveal they’ve been revisiting ‘90s club classics to inspire their future endeavours.
They added: “Classics like Snap’s ‘Rhythm Is A Dancer’ and UK garage anthems by artists like Craig David. Whatever happened to that scene? It rocked!”
Source: Ananova |
| 2008-03-25 | Franz ditch Girls Aloud producer | Franz Ferdinand have parted company with Girls Aloud producer Brian Higgins.
Brian had been enlisted by the Do You Wanna hitmakers but after getting half way through the new record they amicably decided to part company.
Drummer Paul Thomson told the BBC: "We learned a little bit from his methods. We wrote with him for a while and initially we thought we'd work more with him on the album but it didnt really work out.
"We just realised that we're not really a pop group. We're just a band that happens to cross over into the whole pop sphere."
Thomson also revealed that the new LP will be "drier and heavier" than the band's previous two efforts as the four piece consciously set out to make a less frantic record.
Source: Ananova |
| 2008-03-04 | Girls Aloud in new moan | Sarah Harding has hinted again that Girls Aloud could split soon.
Despite constant claims to the contrary from the band, Sarah and her bandmates always seem to suggest that their days as a band are coming to an end in interviews.
Now Sarah tells US magazine Star: "I've had times where I've felt I can't do this any more."
She added: "It's not an easy business to be in."
Sure Sarah, accumulating massive wealth, being adored by millions, having chauffeur driven cars any time you want, and doing your dream job is anything but "easy"!
Source: Ananova |
| 2008-01-31 | Girls ready controversial tune | Girls Aloud will release their song Hoxton Hero, which was perviously deemed too risque for their album.
The girl group had intended that the tune, recorded with whizz production team Xenomania, would feature on their recent album, Tangled Up, until it was pulled for being too bitchy.
On the track, which will now feature as a B-side on new single Can't Speak French, the girls take many a swipe at London's Hoxton population, known for their passionate love of fashion and money and their musical aspirations.
Lyrical highlights include: "You're off your face like you're No 1/How many tracks have you sold?/Mmm... none.
"Walk round the place like you're No 1/So why don't you write a tune that we can hum?"
Meow! Can't Speak French hits the shops on March 17.
Source: Ananova |
| 2008-01-31 | Girls ready controversial tune | Girls Aloud will release their song Hoxton Hero, which was perviously deemed too risque for their album.
The girl group had intended that the tune, recorded with whizz production team Xenomania, would feature on their recent album, Tangled Up, until it was pulled for being too bitchy.
On the track, which will now feature as a B-side on new single Can't Speak French, the girls take many a swipe at London's Hoxton population, known for their passionate love of fashion and money and their musical aspirations.
Lyrical highlights include: "You're off your face like you're No 1/How many tracks have you sold?/Mmm... none.
"Walk round the place like you're No 1/So why don't you write a tune that we can hum?"
Meow! Can't Speak French hits the shops on March 17.
Source: Ananova |
| 2007-12-21 | Girls Aloud say no to reunion | Girls Aloud claim that when they eventually split up, they will never make a comeback.
This year was notable for the highly publicised comeback of fellow girlband the Spice Girls, a path that the Call The Shots group claim they will never follow.
Cheryl Cole told the Daily Record: "When we finish, we'll finish on top and they'll be no comeback,"
She added: "We could hardly go out as Girls Aloud when we're old and wrinkly."
Source: Ananova |
| 2007-09-19 | Franz Ferdinand record with Girls Aloud | Franz Ferdinand have recorded a track with Girls Aloud.
The unlikely collaboration came about while Franz Ferdinand were recording a cover of David Bowie's "Sound And Vision" for an album celebrating Radio 1's 40th anniversary.
Lead singer Alex Kapranos told The Sun: "I asked Girls Aloud to do the famous 'doo doo doo doo doo doo' backing vocals. They were in the studio working on their own record."
It seems Alex and co may have made some pop buddies: "They're pretty laid back so it was a music marriage made in heaven. We're all independently minded people who want to do things their way. Franz Ferdinand have much more in common with Girls Aloud than certain other bands."
Source: Ananova |
| 2007-09-14 | Girls Aloud say no to surgery | Girls Aloud have hit out against plastic surgery.
The feisty female pop quintet claim none of their band have been near the surgeon's knife.
Cheryl Cole told Q: "It's not natural for a 20 year-old to get their boobs done."
She added: "I think it would be a terrible example for young girls for us to be having surgery to change our bodies."
But the ladies are not so immune to a less drastic artificial body change.
Cheryl explained: "I might overdo it with the fake tan, but I'm not so dissatisfied with myself that I'm thinking of cutting bits off or sticking bits on."
Source: Ananova |
| 2007-09-07 | GA Nadine wont go nude | Girls Aloud's Nadine Coyle has said she will never take her kit off for a magazine because she doesn't like naked bodies.
The band have had many a raunchy photo taken throughout their music career but Nadine doesn't plan on doing the full monty anytime soon.
She told Q magazine: "I would never get my kit off for Playboy magazine."
She said: "It's so degrading. The naked body is not beautiful, male or female. The suggestion of naked is nice, but not nude. I'd never do it for any price."
The Irish beauty has also squashed rumours that any of the girls have had plastic surgery saying: "I suppose it's flattering that some people think we might have done, but we haven't"
New single Sexy! No No No... is out now.
Source: Ananova |
| 2007-08-01 | Girls Aloud pull out of gig | Girls Aloud have axed themselves from a gig line-up after the organisers had difficulty selling tickets.
The stunning pop quintet were due to play a gig at Plymouth's Newnham Park, but after poor ticket sales, they have decided to take the unusual step and opt out, reports The Sun.
The event, due to take place on August 11, has 5,000 tickets still to sell - around a third of its capacity.
A statement from promoters Edge said, "Due to recent poor weather, ticket sales have been very poor."
Artists who will still fulfill their obligation to the date include Booty Luv and X Factor rejects Eton Road.
Source: Ananova |
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