Even though the debut solo album by Girls Aloud member Nicola Roberts is laden with melancholy and hurt feelings after many years of being called “the ugly ginger one”, it still manages to be one of the most outstanding and surprising pop records I’ve listened to this year.
Bursting out of the gate with Beat of My Drum and Lucky Day, Roberts’ new album sounds like any other Girls Aloud record – complete with catchy choruses that stick in the head for days on end. They’re great songs but they don’t break any new ground, I believe it’s the meaty centre of the record where the real gems lie.
Yo-yo, Cinderella’s Eyes and Porcelain Heart are all fantastic tracks, the latter of which shows off Roberts’ incredible vocal strength. Listening to this album I am constantly baffled as to why Nicola is banished to the occasional bridge when she sings with Girls Aloud. She clearly has the vocal prowess and flexibility to do a lot more. In this album she stretches her wings and shows off what she is capable of.
Roberts also takes some time to let everyone know what a tough time she has had growing up in Girls Aloud. It’s no secret that she is the member that gets the most verbal and written abuse from every angle. I remember watching a comedy show where two comedians out of three managed to work a stab at Nicola into their act – which received riotous laughter from the audience. I’m not shocked this solo album points often to Roberts being bullied, however if you’re not sympathetic it could become grating to hear her complain about it every other song.
Regardless, Nicola Roberts has taken a chance by stepping away from the uniform pop we’ve come to know from British artists vomited out by the X-factor and other manufacturers. I’m not sure if it has a mainstream audience, but I certainly enjoyed it completely.
