Category — Nicola Roberts

This evening, Cheryl Cole performed her debut single, “Fight For This Love,” for the VERY first time on live television.

Though she’s already been on tour with Girls Aloud for over seven years, performing live for hundreds of TV shows and arena concerts, there was just something about the fact that it was only Cheryl that made the moments leading up to her entrance as nerve-inducing as her very first performance on Popstars.

As we should have known, Cole handled it like the pro that she already is. Stepping off the stage as a judge and into the spotlight as a performer, the singer unleashed a stellar performance of “Fight For This Love,” suited in a slightly modified version of the military jacket from her video, a mesh top, and a pair of double-slitted black slacks.

Though her voice may have threatened to crack at times (whether it be result of the dance moves or that whole national audience viewing thing) she held on throughout, moving her way across the stage with a flank of soldier-dancers in tow.

However, it wasn’t until the song began to fade (and Simon began to stand) that the real “WOW!” moment began: As the music broke into a militant strut a la Rhythm Nation, Cole strutted it out for a brilliant, all-too-brief dance breakdown. The legs! The shimmying! That licky-hand-slap dance move! It was all she needed to do and then some; almost certain to secure her place at #1 this week.

Big love to the fact that Nicola, Kimberley, and Sarah were in the audience. I’m assuming Nuh-deen’s busy recording her own debut single right now out in L.A. or something. (Note: This is more of a dream than an assumption.)

And as for the main attraction, Miss Whitney Houston, who performed immediately after? Err, well…I’d rather not get into it out of respect.

What if AIR produced the unplanned-yet-wildly-anticipated Nicola Roberts solo album?

Aural orgasm, that’s what.

With the recent news of Cheryl Cole’s plan to record a solo album following the closure of the Aloud’s Out Of Control Tour, I thought I’d put together my thoughts regarding the possibility for each Aloud’s individual successes if they were ever to go solo.

(Let’s face it, we have to do something to pass the time until the debut of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s video for “Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer.”)

Cheryl Cole
Probable Title: My Tyme
Sounds like: Victoria Beckham’s original solo album; Top 40 “urban” pop
Actual Listenability: 6/10
Public Success: 7/10

Nicola Roberts
Probable Title: Teardrops
Sounds like: Astonishing, breathy quirk-pop; Lykke Li meets Bats For Lashes
Actual Listenability: 10/10
Public Success: 5/10

Sarah Harding
Probable Title: Take It 2 The Top
Sounds like: Cascada; Hi-NRG covers of Girls Aloud favorites
Actual Listenability: 4/10
Public Success: 6/10

Nadine Coyle
Probable Title: Nadine Coyle
Sounds like: Geri Halliwell’s first solo album; crunchy pop confections, dance tracks, and torch songs.
Actual Listenability: 9/10
Public Success: 8/10

Kimberley Walsh
Probable Title: Wishing and Wishing
Sounds like: Kimberley Locke’s musical career; covers of musicals and tired jazz standards
Actual Listenabiliy: 6/10
Public Success: 3/10

That sounds about right.