Cheryl (singer)
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Cheryl Ann Tweedy (born 30 June 1983) is an English singer and television personality. She rose to fame as a member of Girls Aloud, a
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...
girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of who ...
created through
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
's reality competition show '' Popstars: The Rivals'' in 2002. Named the United Kingdom's best-selling girl group of the 21st century in 2012, Girls Aloud amassed a string of 20 consecutive UK top ten singles (including four number ones), two UK number one albums, five consecutive platinum-selling studio albums, and five Brit Award nominations, winning Best Single for " The Promise" in 2009. The group went on an indefinite hiatus in 2013, before reuniting for a tour in 2024. While still in Girls Aloud, Cheryl began a solo career in April 2009, and between then and 2014, she released four studio albums – ''
3 Words ''3 Words'' is the debut studio album by English singer Cheryl Cole released on 23 October 2009 by Fascination Records. Cole's first solo performance was on American rapper will.i.am's "Heartbreaker" (2008), on which she sang additional vocals ...
'' (2009), '' Messy Little Raindrops'' (2010), '' A Million Lights'' (2012) and '' Only Human'' (2014). Collectively, the albums spawned ten
singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...
, five of which – "
Fight for This Love "Fight for This Love" is the debut solo single by English singer and Girls Aloud member Cheryl (singer), Cheryl Cole, recorded for her debut studio album, ''3 Words'' (2009). It was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as the lead single on ...
", "
Promise This "Promise This" is a song by English recording artist Cheryl Cole, taken from her second studio album ''Messy Little Raindrops'' (2010). It was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as the album's lead single on 24 October 2010 by Fascinati ...
", " Call My Name", " Crazy Stupid Love" and " I Don't Care" – reached the
top position A grappling position refers to the positioning and grappling hold, holds of combatants engaged in grappling. Combatants are said to be in a neutral position if neither is in a more favourable position. If one party has a clear advantage such as in ...
on the UK Singles Chart. Cheryl was the first British female solo artist to have five number-one singles in the UK, and she held the record until Jess Glynne overtook her in 2018. Cheryl became a judge on the UK show of the television talent show '' The X Factor'' in 2008. She mentored two of the eventual winners of the competition (
Alexandra Burke Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke (born 25 August 1988) is a British singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fifth series of the British television series ''The X Factor'' in 2008, and has been signed to Epic Records, RCA Records and Syc ...
in series five and Joe McElderry in series six), before resigning in 2011 after series seven and joining the panel of the US version of the series, which she left during the auditions stage. She returned to judge series
eleven Eleven or 11 may refer to: *11 (number), the natural number following 10 and preceding 12 * one of the years 11 BC, AD 11, 1911, 2011, or any year ending in 11 Literature * ''Eleven'' (novel), a 2006 novel by British author David Llewellyn *'' ...
and twelve of the UK series in 2014 and 2015. Cheryl next served as a judge on the television dance competition ''
The Greatest Dancer ''The Greatest Dancer'' is a British dance competition television series created by Simon Cowell and produced by Syco Entertainment. The first BBC programme created by Cowell, ''The Greatest Dancer'' sees previously undiscovered dance acts perfo ...
'' from 2019 to 2020, and made her stage debut in the West End play '' 2:22 A Ghost Story'' in 2023. Cheryl has become a recognised and photographed style icon, being referred to as a "fashionista" by the press. She has been photographed for the covers of '' British Vogue'', '' Elle'' and ''
Harper's Bazaar ''Harper's Bazaar'' is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. It was first published in New York City on November 2, 1867, as the weekly ''Harper's Bazar''. ''Harper's Bazaar'' is published by Hearst and considers itself to be the st ...
'', and fronted cosmetic company L'Oréal from 2009 to 2018.


Early life

Cheryl Ann Tweedy was born in Newcastle upon Tyne on 30 June 1983, and grew up on council estates in the suburbs of Walker and Heaton. She is the fourth of five children of Joan Callaghan, and the first of her two children with Garry Tweedy following the collapse of her marriage to the father of her three other children. Cheryl's parents were together for more than a decade but never married; they separated when she was 11 years old. At the age of seven, Cheryl appeared in a television advertisement for British Gas. Interested in dancing from an early age, she began sequence dancing at the age of four, and participated in a short summer holiday course at the Royal Ballet School's Summer School at the age of nine. She occasionally appeared doing dance recitals on different television shows in the UK, such as '' Gimme 5'', in 1993.


Career


2002–2009: ''Popstars: The Rivals'' and Girls Aloud

Cheryl auditioned for the reality television show '' Popstars: The Rivals'' in 2002, which aimed to create a
boy band A boy band is loosely defined as a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform Love song, love songs marketed towards girls and young ...
and a
girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of who ...
to compete for the Christmas number one spot on the UK Singles Chart. She sang "
Have You Ever "Have You Ever" is a song by British pop group S Club 7, released as a single on 19 November 2001. Following the success of the group's 2000 '' Children in Need'' track, " Never Had a Dream Come True", the BBC asked S Club 7 to perform the 200 ...
" in her audition, and was one of twenty contestants (ten girls and ten boys) chosen as finalists by judges Pete Waterman, Louis Walsh and Geri Halliwell. The finalists performed live on Saturday evenings, with one gender performing each week, and each week the contestant polling the fewest phone votes was eliminated, until the final line-ups of the five-piece groups emerged. Cheryl was in danger of elimination twice, surviving over Emma Beard and Aimee Kearsley in consecutive performing weeks. On 30 November 2002, she was the first contestant to qualify for the girl group, and was joined by Nadine Coyle,
Sarah Harding Sarah Nicole Harding (; 17 November 1981 – 5 September 2021) was an English singer, model and actress. Her professional career began in 2002 when she successfully auditioned for the ITV reality series '' Popstars: The Rivals'', during which ...
, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh to form Girls Aloud, following the final public vote. The group's debut single " Sound of the Underground" peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the 2002 Christmas number one over boy band One True Voice's "
Sacred Trust / After You're Gone "Sacred Trust / After You're Gone" is the debut double-A side single of British boy band One True Voice. It was released on 16 December 2002, the same day that female winners Girls Aloud released their single " Sound of the Underground". The two ...
". Girls Aloud hold the record for the shortest time between being formed as a band and achieving a number one single. Girls Aloud released their debut album '' Sound of the Underground'' in May 2003, which entered the charts at number two and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) later the same year. Their singles " I'll Stand by You", " Walk This Way", and " The Promise" charted at number one. Two of their albums reached the top of the UK Albums Chart: their greatest hits album '' The Sound of Girls Aloud'' and 2008's '' Out of Control'', both of which entered the chart at number one, with over one million copies of the former being sold. They also achieved seven certified albums and were nominated for five Brit Awards, winning the 2009 Best Single for "The Promise". The group's musical style was pop, but throughout their career they experimented with
electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
and
dance-pop Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
. Girls Aloud's collaborations with Brian Higgins and his songwriting and production team
Xenomania Xenomania is an English songwriting and production team founded by Brian Higgins and based in Kent, England. Formed by Higgins with his Creative Director Miranda Cooper and Business Director Sarah Stennett of First Access Entertainment, Xenoman ...
earned the group critical acclaim, due to an innovative approach to mainstream pop music. The group amassed a fortune of £30 million by May 2010. '' Guinness World Records'' listed them as "Most Successful Reality TV Group" in the 2007 edition. They also held the record for "Most Consecutive Top Ten Entries in the UK by a Female Group" in the 2008 edition, and were credited again for "Most Successful Reality TV Group" in the 2011 edition. The group was also named the United Kingdom's biggest selling girl group of the 21st century, with over 4.3 million singles sales and 4 million albums sold in the UK alone. Girls Aloud took a hiatus in 2009 in the pursuit of solo projects, saying they would reunite for a new studio album in 2010, but this did not materialise.


2008–2011: Television ventures, ''3 Words'' and ''Messy Little Raindrops''

In 2008, Cheryl replaced
Sharon Osbourne Sharon Rachel Osbourne (née Levy, later Arden; born 9 October 1952) is a British-American television personality, music manager and author. She is married to heavy metal singer-songwriter Ozzy Osbourne and came to prominence while appearing ...
as a judge for the fifth series of ''The X Factor UK'' alongside creator Simon Cowell,
Dannii Minogue Danielle Jane Minogue () is an Australian singer, television personality, and actress. She initially gained recognition for her appearances on the television show ''Young Talent Time'' (1982–1988) and for her role as Emma Jackson on th ...
and Louis Walsh. She was given the girls category (made up of female solo contestants aged 16 to 24) and subsequently became the winning judge and mentor when
Alexandra Burke Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke (born 25 August 1988) is a British singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fifth series of the British television series ''The X Factor'' in 2008, and has been signed to Epic Records, RCA Records and Syc ...
was crowned the winner of series five on 13 December. She returned for the sixth series in 2009 and was given the boys category (made up of male solo contestants aged 16 to 24). She was the winning judge for a second consecutive year when Joe McElderry won on 13 December. Cowell referred to her as "one of the best I've ever worked with." Cheryl returned for the seventh series in 2010 and mentored the girls category again. This was the first series in which she was not the winning mentor, when Rebecca Ferguson finished as runner-up to
Matt Cardle Matthew Sheridan Cardle (born 15 April 1983) is an English pop singer. He was born in Southampton and grew up in Halstead, Essex. Cardle has been involved in music since his early teens and has been a member of two different bands; Darwyn and S ...
, who was mentored by Minogue. In 2011, Cheryl joined Cowell,
L.A. Reid Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956) is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer. He is the founder and served as co-chairman of Hitco Entertainment. He also previously served as the chairman and CEO of Ep ...
, and
Paula Abdul Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreograph ...
on the judging panel of the US version of ''The X Factor''. After a three-week stint she departed the series. Cowell said the reason she left was that he offered her a judging seat on the eighth series of the UK show and he felt that she would have been more comfortable there. Cheryl did not return to the UK show, as Tulisa had taken her place on the UK judging panel and Cheryl was unwilling to be a judge on the UK show without Cowell. Nicole Scherzinger replaced her on the judging panel of the American version for the rest of
season one Season One may refer to: Albums * ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004 * ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012 * ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012 See also * * * Season 2 (disambiguation) * Season 4 (disambiguat ...
. In December 2012, Cheryl sued the American producers of ''The X Factor'' for $2.3 million (£1.4m). She received $1.8 million (£1.1m) for the 2011 US series, and then sued for $2 million (£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. Cheryl's first solo performance was on American rapper
will.i.am William James Adams Jr. (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "Will-I-am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is the founding and lead member of the musical group Black Eyed Peas. ...
's "
Heartbreaker Heartbreaker(s) or The Heart Breaker(s) may refer to: Film and television *''The Heart Breakers'', a 1916 film starring Andrew Arbuckle *''The Heart Breaker'', a 1925 film directed by Benjamin Stoloff * ''Heartbreaker'' (1983 film), an American f ...
" in 2008. She was picked to appear as a dancer in the video after taking streetdancing classes during the filming of
ITV2 ITV2 is a British free-to-air television channel owned by ITV Digital Channels, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998. For a number of years, it had the largest audience share after the five analogue terrestrial stations, a ...
series '' The Passions of Girls Aloud''. She was later asked by will.i.am to sing additional vocals on the track. In April 2009, she started working on solo material, and her debut album, ''
3 Words ''3 Words'' is the debut studio album by English singer Cheryl Cole released on 23 October 2009 by Fascination Records. Cole's first solo performance was on American rapper will.i.am's "Heartbreaker" (2008), on which she sang additional vocals ...
'', was released in the UK on 26 October. The album spent two weeks at number one, and on 6 November, BPI certified the album platinum, denoting shipments of over 300,000 units; it later tripled this feat. The first single from the album, "
Fight for This Love "Fight for This Love" is the debut solo single by English singer and Girls Aloud member Cheryl (singer), Cheryl Cole, recorded for her debut studio album, ''3 Words'' (2009). It was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as the lead single on ...
", was written by Andre Merritt, Steve Kipner and
Wayne Wilkins Wayne Wilkins is a British record producer, songwriter, record engineer and record mixer. He has produced and written for artists such as Rick Astley ("Cry for Help"), Natasha Bedingfield (" These Words", "Single" and " Love Like This"), Beyon ...
, and produced by Kipner and Wilkins. Following a performance on ''The X Factor'' live results show, "Fight for This Love" entered the UK and Irish charts at number one, and in 2010, it went to number one in Denmark, Norway and Hungary, and was later certified platinum in the UK. It also became the fourth best-selling single of 2009 in the UK. Cheryl's second single, "
3 Words ''3 Words'' is the debut studio album by English singer Cheryl Cole released on 23 October 2009 by Fascination Records. Cole's first solo performance was on American rapper will.i.am's "Heartbreaker" (2008), on which she sang additional vocals ...
", which features will.i.am, went to number four in the UK and seven in Ireland. In 2010, the single was released in Australia and charted at number five, and was certified platinum. The third single, "
Parachute A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag or, in a ram-air parachute, aerodynamic lift. A major application is to support people, for recreation or as a safety device for aviators, who ...
", charted in the top five in both the UK and Ireland, and was certified gold in the UK. Cheryl started recording sessions for her second album in February 2010, though in an interview on '' Alan Carr: Chatty Man'', she said that some of the songs submitted for the record dated back to ''3 Words''. The album was largely produced by Wayne Wilkins and released on 29 October 2010 under the title '' Messy Little Raindrops''. It features guest vocals from August Rigo, Dizzee Rascal, Travie McCoy, and will.i.am, and debuted at number one in the UK, and at number two in Ireland. It received generally mixed reviews from music critics, with a positive review of four out of five stars from Jon O'Brien of AllMusic. On 19 August 2011, the album was certified platinum by BPI, with shipments in the UK exceeding 300,000. The album's first single, "
Promise This "Promise This" is a song by English recording artist Cheryl Cole, taken from her second studio album ''Messy Little Raindrops'' (2010). It was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as the album's lead single on 24 October 2010 by Fascinati ...
", is an up-tempo dance-pop song written by Wilkins, Priscilla Hamilton and Christopher Jackson, which was released on 24 October 2010 and became her second number-one in the UK where it was certified gold. " The Flood" was released as the album's second single and entered the charts after its official release at number 18. Cheryl was given a one-off television programme for ITV1, ''
Cheryl Cole's Night In ''Cheryl Cole's Night In'' was a one-off television special, starring English recording artist Cheryl Cole, produced for ITV, that aired on 12 December 2009 at 6:30 pm. The programme was hosted by Holly Willoughby, featured a host of other perfor ...
'', which aired on 19 December 2009. The programme, hosted by
Holly Willoughby Holly Marie Willoughby ( ; born 10 February 1981) is an English television presenter, author and model. She is currently the co-presenter of ITV's '' This Morning'' (2009–present) and '' Dancing on Ice'' (2006–2011, 2018–present) alongsid ...
, featured music and interviews with Cheryl and some of her favourite performers. Alexandra Burke,
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
, Will Young,
Snow Patrol Snow Patrol are a Northern Irish–Scottish Rock music, rock band formed in 1994 in Dundee, Scotland. They consist of Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar), Nathan Connolly (guitar, backing vocals), Paul Wilson (musician), Paul Wilson (bass guitar, ...
and will.i.am made appearances. The programme attracted 5 million viewers on its first airing. From May to July 2010, Cheryl was the opening act for the Black Eyed Peas at the British shows (as well as some European dates) of
The E.N.D. World Tour The E.N.D. World Tour was the third concert tour by American hip hop group Black Eyed Peas, in support of their fifth studio album ''The E.N.D.'' (2009). The tour began in Japan on September 15, 2009, with shows also performed in Australia and N ...
. Cheryl was interviewed during an episode of the fourth series of '' Piers Morgan's Life Stories'', in which she discussed her marriage and divorce with
Ashley Cole Ashley Cole (born 20 December 1980) is an English football coach and former player who is currently a first-team coach at Premier League club Everton. As a player, he played as a left-back, most notably for Arsenal and Chelsea. Cole is consi ...
and her life-threatening battle with malaria. The show, which aired on 23 October 2010, drew an audience of 7.2 million, the highest figure in the chat show's history.


2012–2013: ''A Million Lights'', Girls Aloud reunion and tours

Cheryl's third studio album, '' A Million Lights'', was released on 18 June 2012. It debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, selling 34,934 copies in its first week on sale, and was her first not to debut at number one in the UK and her first not to sell over 100,000 copies in its first week. Her debut album ''3 Words'' sold 125,000 copies while its follow-up ''Messy Little Raindrops'' sold around 105,000 copies. ''A Million Lights'' was certified gold in the UK for shipments of 100,000 copies. Its lead single, " Call My Name" became Cheryl's third number one single on the UK Singles Chart, with the sales of 152,001 digital copies. The song became 2012's fastest selling number one single on the UK Singles Chart until December of the same year, when the winner of the 2012 series of ''The X Factor UK'',
James Arthur James Arthur (born 2 March 1988) is an English singer and songwriter. He rose to fame after winning the ninth series of ''The X Factor'' in 2012. His debut single, a cover of Shontelle's "Impossible", was released by Syco Music after the fin ...
, sold 490,560 copies with his cover of Shontelle's "
Impossible Impossible, Imposible or Impossibles may refer to: Music * ''ImPossible'' (album), a 2016 album by Divinity Roxx * ''The Impossible'' (album) Groups * The Impossibles (American band), a 1990s indie-ska group from Austin, Texas * The Impossibl ...
". "Call My Name" sold a total of 417,000 copies in the UK, and was the 34th best-selling single of 2012 there. " Under the Sun", the second single from the album, was released on 2 September 2012, and peaked at number 13, becoming her seventh consecutive solo top-twenty single. To promote ''A Million Lights'', Cheryl embarked on her first solo concert tour,
A Million Lights Tour The A Millions Lights Tour was the debut concert tour by English recording artist Cheryl Cole. It promoted Cole's third studio album, ''A Million Lights''. The tour marks Cole's first solo venture, touring extensively from 2005 to 2009 with pop ...
. The tour ran from 3 to 17 October 2012, and comprised 11 show dates: two in Ireland, one in Scotland and eight in England. She also did a set of meet and greets at each concert. The £350 offer included an autograph, a chance to meet her and a photograph with her backstage, with proceeds going towards her charity, The Cheryl Cole Foundation. The meet and greet ticket drew negative criticism from fans, who complained about the high price. On 4 June 2012, Cheryl performed a duet with Gary Barlow at the Diamond Jubilee Concert, which was organised and created by Barlow as part of the
Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II The year 2012 marked the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II being the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. The only diamond jubilee celebration for any of Elizabeth's predecessors was in 1897, for the 60th an ...
and watched by millions worldwide. In 2012, Cheryl returned to ''The X Factor UK'' as an assistant for Barlow at the judges' houses stage to help him select his contestants for the live shows of the competition. In November 2012, she was handed her own documentary entitled ''Cheryl: Access All Areas'', which attracted 811,000 viewers on ITV2 and 177,000 on +1. In November 2012, after months of speculation, Girls Aloud reunited for the group's 10th anniversary. On 18 November, they released their comeback single, " Something New", which was also the official charity single for ''
Children in Need 2012 ''Children in Need 2012'' was a campaign held in the United Kingdom to raise money for the charity Children in Need. 2012 marks the 32nd anniversary of the appeal which culminated in a live broadcast on BBC One and BBC Two on the evening of Friday ...
''. The single peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. The group released their second greatest hits compilation, ''
Ten Ten, TEN or 10 may refer to: * 10, an even natural number following 9 and preceding 11 * one of the years 10 BC, AD 10, 1910 and 2010 * October, the tenth month of the year Places * Mount Ten, in Vietnam * Tongren Fenghuang Airport (IATA code ...
'', on 26 November 2012. The second single taken from ''Ten'', "
Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me "Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me" is a song recorded by British girl group Girls Aloud from their second compilation album, '' Ten'' (2012). It was written by Rachel Moulden and produced by Jim Eliot. The song received mixed reviews from music crit ...
", was released on 17 December. A documentary entitled '' Girls Aloud: Ten Years at the Top'' aired on ITV1 on 15 December and attracted 2.3 million viewers, a 10.5% share of the audience. In 2013, the group embarked on Ten: The Hits Tour. In March 2013, following the completion of the tour, Girls Aloud released a statement to confirm that they were splitting permanently.


2014–2017: ''Only Human'' and ''The X Factor'' return

In June 2014, Cheryl debuted the first single from her fourth studio album '' Only Human'', " Crazy Stupid Love", which features Tinie Tempah. Later in the month, she performed at Capital FM's Summertime Ball at Wembley Stadium. "Crazy Stupid Love" was officially released in July and entered the UK Singles Chart at number one, selling 118,000 copies. It became Cheryl's fourth number one single on the chart, making her the third British female artist to achieve four numbers ones as a solo artist, after Geri Halliwell and Rita Ora. The song also peaked at number one in Ireland. The second single from ''Only Human'', " I Don't Care", was released on 2 November and similarly to its predecessor debuted at number one in the UK, becoming Cheryl's fifth number one in the country. This made her the first British female to have five solo number one singles in the UK, and she held the record for the British female solo artist with the most UK number-one singles until Jess Glynne overtook her in 2018. ''Only Human'' was released on 10 November and became Cheryl's fourth solo album to debut within the top 10 in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was later certified silver in the UK. The album's title track was released as its third and final single in March 2015. The song, which originally peaked at number 70 as an album cut in October 2014, failed to reach the top 100 on the UK Singles Chart upon the single's release, therefore becoming Cheryl's lowest-charting single to date. In 2014, the singer also returned as a judge on the UK show of ''The X Factor'' for its eleventh series to replace
Sharon Osbourne Sharon Rachel Osbourne (née Levy, later Arden; born 9 October 1952) is a British-American television personality, music manager and author. She is married to heavy metal singer-songwriter Ozzy Osbourne and came to prominence while appearing ...
, signing a £1.5 million contract. She was joined by Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and
Mel B Melanie Janine Brown (born 29 May 1975), commonly known as Melanie B or Mel B, is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. She rose to fame in the 1990s as a member of the girl group Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed Sc ...
on the judging panel. She was again selected to mentor the girls category, with her final act
Lauren Platt Lauren Nicole Platt (born 7 October 1997) is an English television presenter, singer and actress. After finishing fourth in the eleventh series of ''The X Factor'', she presented the CBBC talent series ''Got What It Takes?'' from 2016 to 2018. ...
coming fourth. In 2015, Cheryl returned to ''The X Factor'' for its twelfth series; she was joined by Cowell and new judges Ora and
Nick Grimshaw Nicholas Peter Andrew Grimshaw (born 14 August 1984), also known as Grimmy, is an English television and former radio presenter, podcaster and author. He became known for having hosted a variety of shows on BBC Radio 1. He is also known as a t ...
. She was selected to mentor the groups category for the first time and her last remaining group
Reggie 'n' Bollie Reggie 'n' Bollie (formerly Menn on Poinnt) are a Ghanaian music duo consisting of Reggie Zippy and Bollie Babeface. They formed in 2012 and are best known for finishing as runners-up on the twelfth series of ''The X Factor'' UK in 2015. Overview ...
reached the final finishing in second place. Cheryl announced her departure from ''The X Factor'' in April 2016, choosing to focus on her music career and was replaced by Osbourne. She appeared in the fourteenth series as Cowell's adviser during the judges' houses stage.


2018–present: Standalone singles, ''The Greatest Dancer'', stage debut and second Girls Aloud reunion

In July 2018, Cheryl stated that her fifth studio album was "pretty much finished", and revealed that she worked on the record with Naughty Boy and her former bandmate Nicola Roberts with whom she co-wrote every song. Later that year, she signed with
3 Beat 3 Beat Productions is a British independent record label founded by Jon Barlow in 1989. History 3 Beat Music was founded as a dance music record shop in 1989 by Jon Barlow, Dave Nicholl, Phil Southall and later joined by Phil Beddard and Hywel ...
to release new music, and announced that she would release a series of singles before releasing a full-length album. The first single, " Love Made Me Do It", was released in November 2018. Upon its release, Cheryl hinted in an interview with ''The Guardian'' that if her new material were to underperform she would retire from music. Cheryl's comeback was met with intense media scrutiny, and the single failed to make an impact in the charts peaking at number 19 in the UK and number 32 in Ireland.Alt URL
/ref> Her live performance of the song on the fifteenth series of ''The X Factor UK'' was widely criticised in the media, with viewers arguing that its "overtly sexual nature" was inappropriate for pre-watershed television. The follow-up single, "
Let You "Let You" is a song by English singer Cheryl, released by 3 Beat Records on 31 May 2019. Cheryl wrote the song with Chiara Hunter, Danny Casio, George Astasio, Jason Pebworth, Jon Shave and Nicola Roberts, with production by Mike Spencer. An elect ...
", was released in May 2019 and peaked at number 57 in the UK. When asked in 2023 about her future music plans, Cheryl replied: "The industry's completely changed and I don't know if I'd fit in." Cheryl began serving as a dance captain on the BBC One dance competition ''
The Greatest Dancer ''The Greatest Dancer'' is a British dance competition television series created by Simon Cowell and produced by Syco Entertainment. The first BBC programme created by Cowell, ''The Greatest Dancer'' sees previously undiscovered dance acts perfo ...
'', which premiered on 5 January 2019. In 2020, she returned for its second series, and later that year, BBC One said there were no plans to continue the show. She played music manager Coco Rayne in Sky Cinema's 2020 adaptation of the novel ''
Four Children and It ''Four Children and It'' is a 2012 continuation novel by author Jacqueline Wilson based on the 1902 book ''Five Children and It'' by E. Nesbit. Plot Rosalind and Robbie are staying with their father, David, his wife, Alice, and their half sis ...
'' titled ''
Four Kids and It ''Four Kids and It'' is a 2020 British fantasy film directed by Andy De Emmony and written by Simon Lewis and Mark Oswin. It is based on the 2012 novel '' Four Children and It'' by Jacqueline Wilson, which is based on E. Nesbit's 1902 novel '' ...
''. In August 2021, Cheryl launched a 12-part podcast about R&B music titled ''You, Me & R&B with Cheryl'' on
BBC Sounds BBC Sounds is a Closed platform, walled garden streaming media and audio download service from the BBC that includes live radio broadcasts, audio on demand, and podcasts. The service is available on a wide range of devices, including mobile pho ...
, which drew criticism from some who believed that a black artist should have been given the platform to present a show about black music. On 7 December 2022, it was announced that Cheryl would be playing Jenny in the West End play '' 2:22 A Ghost Story'' at the Lyric Theatre from 28 January to 23 April 2023. In 2024, she reunited with the remaining members of Girls Aloud for a UK and Ireland tour
The Girls Aloud Show The Girls Aloud Show is the seventh ongoing concert tour by English-Irish girl group Girls Aloud, with 30 shows across Ireland and United Kingdom. The tour marks the group's first tour since 2013's Ten: The Hits Tour, Ten: The Hits and their fir ...
to celebrate 21 years of the group and to remember their bandmate Sarah Harding who died in 2021.


Other ventures

As a member of Girls Aloud, Cheryl teamed with Eylure to release five sets of
false eyelashes Eyelash extensions are a cosmetic enhancement that involves attaching synthetic or natural hair fibers to the natural eyelashes to create a fuller, more dramatic look. They are applied by a professional using a specialized adhesive and can last fo ...
, each set designed by a different member of the group. A range of festival-themed lashes followed in 2010, while limited edition "10th Anniversary" lash was released in 2012. Similarly, to celebrate their tenth anniversary, each member designed a charm bracelet for Pandora, available as either a complete bracelet or a "starter" bracelet. From 2009 to 2018, Cheryl served as the UK spokesperson for L'Oréal. Cheryl's first official book, entitled ''Through My Eyes'', was published on 30 September 2010 by Bantam Press. ''Through My Eyes'' purports to show her in the recording studio, backstage on tour, behind-the-scenes at ''The X Factor'', at photo shoots and at award ceremonies. She said the book is "filled with pictures that capture those moments, ermemories and the people
he's He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
closest to". She is the subject of several unauthorised biographies, as well as books detailing her relationship with and divorce from Ashley Cole. Her autobiography, '' Cheryl: My Story'', was published on 11 October 2012. The book's content was about her childhood, rise to fame as a member of Girls Aloud and her relationships with Simon Cowell and her ex-husband Ashley Cole. It has sold 275,000 copies , generating £2.5 million in sales. In August 2014, Cheryl released her debut fragrance, StormFlower.


Philanthropy

In 2004, Girls Aloud released a cover of the Pretenders' " I'll Stand by You" as the official single for the BBC's charity telethon '' Children in Need''. In 2007, the group announced a joint release of
Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whi ...
and Run DMC's " Walk This Way" with Sugababes as the official single for the UK's other major charity telethon Comic Relief. The song was recorded at Comic Relief co-founder and trustee Richard Curtis' request. In March 2009, Cheryl climbed
Mount Kilimanjaro Mount Kilimanjaro () is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. It has three volcanic cones: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain above sea level in the world: above sea level and ab ...
in aid of Comic Relief. The climb, organised by Gary Barlow, was also undertaken by fellow Girls Aloud member Kimberley Walsh, as well as
Alesha Dixon Alesha Anjanette Dixon (born 7 October 1978) is an English singer, rapper, dancer, television personality, and author. She gained recognition in the early 2000s as a member of the R&B, garage and hip hop group Mis-Teeq. The group disbanded in ...
, Fearne Cotton, Denise Van Outen, Chris Moyles, Ben Shephard, Ronan Keating and Barlow himself. Between 3 February and 23 March 2009, Cheryl, Walsh, Barlow, Moyles and Cotton also raised money for Comic Relief by providing the voice for the
BT Speaking Clock A speaking clock or talking clock is a live or recorded human voice service, usually accessed by telephone, that gives the correct time. The first telephone speaking clock service was introduced in France, in association with the Paris Observato ...
. All nine celebrities reached the summit of Kilimanjaro on Saturday, 7 March 2009. Cheryl, along with Cotton, Van Outen and Shephard, reached the summit first at sunrise. The trek raised £3.5 million for the charity. In February 2011, Cheryl launched her own charitable foundation with The Prince's Trust following a meeting with The Trust's president, Charles, Prince of Wales. The Cheryl Cole Foundation is meant to provide vital funds for The Trust in the North East, which was set up to help disadvantaged young people from Cheryl's region. On 13 June 2011, she auctioned 20 dresses with ASOS to raise funds for the foundation. In September 2011, Cheryl became the latest " Forces' sweetheart" when she visited
British soldiers The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Br ...
in Afghanistan. On 23 January 2015, Cheryl announced the launch of a second charity, once again alongside The Prince's Trust. The charity was named Cheryl's Trust, and was set up with the aim of raising £2 million to build a centre, which will support up to 4000 disadvantaged young people in her native city of Newcastle. To raise these funds, Cheryl has thus far teamed up with Prizeo in March 2015, setting up a styling session competition, and also launched a limited edition
Belgian Chocolate Belgian chocolate (french: chocolat belge, nl, Belgische chocolade) is chocolate produced in Belgium. A major industry since the 19th century, today it forms an important part of the Belgian economy, nation's economy and Culture of Belgium, cul ...
Bar with Greggs in August 2015; 5p proceeds from each sale being donated towards the trust. In November 2016, she became the ambassador of the charity Childline.


Artistry and influences

Cheryl has a
mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C ...
range. She spoke about her vocal ability saying, "I am very aware of my ability, I know I'm no
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
but I think the emotion in the song is what matters." In a review for her debut studio album ''3 Words'', Tom Ewing of '' The Guardian'' opined that "She's not as full a singer as the belters and divas she presides over each week
n ''The X Factor'' N, or n, is the fourteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''. History ...
but she's an expressive performer and a less showy backing lets that come through." ''3 Words'' is a pop and R&B record which incorporates elements of dance, disco and electropop in some of its tracks, while ''Messy Little Raindrops'' was described as a combination of "anthemic dance and synth-led R&B". ''A Million Lights'', her third studio album, also incorporates R&B and dance. She incorporated dubstep into ''A Million Lights'',
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
citing "Girl in the Mirror" as an example. Cheryl has named
Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
and
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
as a few of her inspirations, performance and fashion-wise. She spoke on the reason Beyoncé was an influence on her, saying, "I love Beyoncé, I just think she is such a beautiful person inside and out, apart from what she does on the stage which is obviously incredible and aspirational. I just like her as a woman. She's empowering." She has cited Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, a former member of American band
TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an As ...
, as another influence saying, "I wanted to be opes– I used to wear baggy jeans and Timberlands like a tomboy." Other influences she has cited are Rihanna, whom she described as "a perfect pop star", and
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...
, saying, "Mary's voice sounds so grown up and you can hear that she has experienced a lot in her life, her songs help me with every heartache." Cheryl has influenced other artists, including Selena Gomez and Jade Thirlwall. The 2006 Lily Allen song "Cheryl Tweedy" was written about her. In June 2012, Cheryl performed "Call My Name" live on '' The Voice UK''. In response to criticism about lip-syncing, she deemed it complimentary and said, "If you think my live vocal sounds so good it must be mimed, I'm happy."


Public image

As a member of Girls Aloud, Cheryl was initially recognised as a teen idol. She mentioned her rise to stardom: " ..it was a really difficult transition to go through. Coming in to this industry and being an object. ..I really struggled with that adjustment." She felt "uncomfortable" in wearing "short skirts and some outfits that were quite sexy" as a member of the group, but said "it wasn't trying to be sexual. I would never do something I didn't want to do". Her relationship with footballer Ashley Cole was subject of intense media scrutiny and she was labelled a football " WAG", a term she found "derogatory". Cheryl's popularity grew significantly during her 2008–2011 stint on ''The X Factor'', and the British press called her a "nation's sweetheart". As a judge, she was noted for her style, "disarming compassion and sensitivity". '' The Telegraph''s Bryony Gordon dubbed her a "
Princess Diana Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...
for the ''X Factor'' generation." Cheryl also received criticism. In 2010, '' The Guardian''s Simon Hattenstone wrote about the public perception of her: "One day she might be the stoic saint coping with marital adversity or the Mother Teresa of ''The X Factor'', smiling beatifically as her kids perform for her; the next she might be the hard-nosed bitch who lip-syncs her way through a 'live' TV performance while her ''X Factor'' wannabes have to do it for real, and who is happy to advertise L'Oréal shampoo while wearing hair extensions." Alice Vincent of ''The Telegraph'' remarked that "Cheryl's career has been pockmarked by tales of demanding behaviour and superciliary attitude". Gordon, however, described her as being "self-critical" and "very polite about everything". Cheryl has become a recognised and photographed style icon, being referred to as a "fashionista" by the press. During her television appearances, she wore "a string of fashion-forward outfits from Givenchy and Preen, to McQueen and
Missoni Missoni is an Italian luxury fashion house based in Varese, and known for its colorful knitwear designs. The company was founded by Ottavio ("Tai") and Rosita Missoni in 1953. History Early beginnings The business was founded in 1953, when O ...
." In both 2009 and 2010, she was named the best dressed woman by ''Glamour'' magazine, after 14,000 votes from the magazine's readers were counted. She has been photographed for the covers of ''British Vogue'', '' Elle'' and ''
Harper's Bazaar ''Harper's Bazaar'' is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. It was first published in New York City on November 2, 1867, as the weekly ''Harper's Bazar''. ''Harper's Bazaar'' is published by Hearst and considers itself to be the st ...
''. She has won ''Glamour'' Women of the Year Awards for TV Personality and Best Dressed and
Style Network Esquire Network was an American pay television network that was a 50/50 joint venture between NBCUniversal and the Hearst Corporation. The network carried programs aimed at a metrosexual audience centering on travel, cooking, sports and fashio ...
Award for Best Dressed Woman and Style Icon of the Decade. In February 2009, she appeared on the cover of ''British Vogue''. The media coverage of her appearance in the magazine boosted the magazine's circulation to 240,000, its best ever February figure. Cheryl topped '' FHM''s
100 Sexiest Women in the World ''FHM'' (For Him Magazine) is a British multinational men's lifestyle magazine that was published in several countries. Its master edition contained features such as the ''FHM'' 100 Sexiest Women in the World, which has featured models, actres ...
list in 2009 and 2010. In March 2010, she was declared by research company Millward Brown as the second most powerful celebrity in Britain. In October 2010, a wax statue of her was added to the gallery of
Madame Tussauds Madame Tussauds (, ) is a wax museum founded in 1835 by French wax sculptor Marie Tussaud in London, spawning similar museums in major cities around the world. While it used to be spelled as "Madame Tussaud's"; the apostrophe is no longer us ...
in London at a cost of approximately £150,000. The waxwork was removed from public display in August 2019.


Personal life


Relationships

Cheryl began dating England and Chelsea
footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...
Ashley Cole Ashley Cole (born 20 December 1980) is an English football coach and former player who is currently a first-team coach at Premier League club Everton. As a player, he played as a left-back, most notably for Arsenal and Chelsea. Cole is consi ...
in September 2004, announcing their engagement after he proposed in Dubai in June 2005. The couple were married at a ceremony at
Barnet Barnet may refer to: People *Barnet (surname) * Barnet (given name) Places United Kingdom *Chipping Barnet or High Barnet, commonly known as Barnet, one of three focal towns of the borough below. *East Barnet, a district of the borough below; an ...
, north west London on 15 July 2006. They signed an exclusive deal with ''
OK! ''OK!'' is a British weekly magazine that primarily specialises in royal and celebrity news. Originally launched as a monthly magazine, its first issue was published in April 1997. In September 2004, ''OK''! launched in Australia as a monthly ...
'', reportedly worth £1 million, regarding the rights of the photographs. On 23 February 2010, Cheryl announced she was separating from Cole, and on 26 May, she filed for divorce at London's High Court citing "unreasonable behaviour" from her estranged husband. The divorce papers state that Cole admitted being unfaithful to Cheryl with a number of other women. She was granted a '' decree nisi'' on 3 September. She continued to use her married name, but later began using the mononym Cheryl for her music releases. On 7 July 2014, Cheryl married French restaurateur Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini after a three-month courtship. Following their separation, Cheryl began dating singer Liam Payne, whom she had previously judged as a contestant on ''The X Factor''. She was later granted a ''decree nisi'' from Fernandez-Versini on 20 October 2016, and the divorce was later finalised. On 22 March 2017, she gave birth to her son with Payne. Cheryl and Payne announced they had ended their relationship in July 2018.


Family genealogy

In December 2016, Cheryl appeared on the BBC One genealogy series '' Who Do You Think You Are?'', during which she researched her maternal family. Research shows that her paternal line is from Tyneside and that there were a number of coal miners amongst Cheryl's forebears. When tracing further back, in one of the branches of her paternal line, researchers find that her ancestry includes several mariners. The investigation into Cheryl's maternal line shows that her grandmother, Olga Ridley, was one of twin girls born to Edith Annie Burton, the housekeeper for a widower named Joseph Ridley who already had a number of children from his marriage. Joseph Ridley had fought in World War I in the Durham Light Infantry as a
Pioneer Pioneer commonly refers to a settler who migrates to previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land. In the United States pioneer commonly refers to an American pioneer, a person in American history who migrated west to join in settling and dev ...
in France and, from an examination of the census, before the war he had been a grocery warehouseman.


Assault conviction

On 11 January 2003, Cheryl was involved in an altercation with a nightclub toilet attendant, Sophie Amogbokpa, and subsequently charged with racially aggravated assault over the incident. At her trial on 20 October she was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm but cleared of the racially aggravated assault charge, and sentenced to 120 hours of community service. She was ordered to pay her victim £500 in compensation, as well as £3,000 prosecution costs. Judge Richard Howard said, "This was an unpleasant piece of drunken violence which caused Sophie Amogbokpa pain and suffering."


Political views

Cheryl is a lifelong supporter of the Labour Party. She proclaimed her support for same-sex marriage in 2012.


Filmography

* ''
St Trinian's ''St Trinian's'' is a British gag cartoon comic strip series, created and drawn by Ronald Searle from 1946 until 1952. The cartoons all centre on a boarding school for girls, where the teachers are sadists and the girls are juvenile delinquents ...
'' (2007) * '' What to Expect When You're Expecting'' (2012) * ''
Four Kids and It ''Four Kids and It'' is a 2020 British fantasy film directed by Andy De Emmony and written by Simon Lewis and Mark Oswin. It is based on the 2012 novel '' Four Children and It'' by Jacqueline Wilson, which is based on E. Nesbit's 1902 novel '' ...
'' (2020)


Stage

* '' 2:22 A Ghost Story'' (2023) at the Lyric Theatre


Discography

* ''
3 Words ''3 Words'' is the debut studio album by English singer Cheryl Cole released on 23 October 2009 by Fascination Records. Cole's first solo performance was on American rapper will.i.am's "Heartbreaker" (2008), on which she sang additional vocals ...
'' (2009) * '' Messy Little Raindrops'' (2010) * '' A Million Lights'' (2012) * '' Only Human'' (2014)


Tours

Solo tours *
A Million Lights Tour The A Millions Lights Tour was the debut concert tour by English recording artist Cheryl Cole. It promoted Cole's third studio album, ''A Million Lights''. The tour marks Cole's first solo venture, touring extensively from 2005 to 2009 with pop ...
(2012) As solo supporting act * The Black Eyed Peas'
The E.N.D. World Tour The E.N.D. World Tour was the third concert tour by American hip hop group Black Eyed Peas, in support of their fifth studio album ''The E.N.D.'' (2009). The tour began in Japan on September 15, 2009, with shows also performed in Australia and N ...
(Europe, 2010)


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cheryl 1983 births People from North East England Newcastle upon Tyne Living people 21st-century English women singers 21st-century English singers British contemporary R&B singers English women pop singers English mezzo-sopranos English people convicted of assault English television personalities Fascination Records artists Girls Aloud members Labour Party (UK) people Musicians from Newcastle upon Tyne People convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm Popstars winners BT Digital Music Awards winners