‘Imagine a 30-odd-year-old singing “I’m just a love machine”, Nah,’ mused a 29-year-old Cheryl in a now-viral video. But Girls Aloud – ages ranging from 38 to 42 – are back on tour once more. ‘Love Machine’ is, of course, on the set list, as are their other hits including ‘Can’t Speak French’, ‘Biology’ and ‘The Promise’.
Cheryl, Nicola Roberts, Kimberly Walsh and Nadine Coyle kicked off the ‘The Girls Aloud Show’ in Dublin last weekend, 21 years after they won ITV’s Popstars: The Rivals, to celebrate the life of the late Sarah Harding who died of cancer in 2021.
Speaking about their Greatest Hits Tour, which is on until 30 June in venues around the UK, Cheryl said, 'We want people to be transported back to the time through our music. We want people to sing their hearts out and dance their socks off. It's the right time to celebrate Sarah, the right time to celebrate the band, and the right time to celebrate the fact we can still do this over 20 years later. That's a big honour.'
It’s now been 11 years since that viral Cheryl clip, and 11 years since Girls Aloud was last on tour. The press leading up to the reunion has been iconic in a number of ways – mainly because of how lacklustre they all seemed about promoting the show, and how little they agree on when it comes to covers and costumes. It's just like old times!
Appearing on Radio 2 in April, the girls had an on-air scrap about whether there is space for covers in the show. Nicola said, 'I don't think we've got space' and Cheryl chimed in saying, 'I've said it several times, people like it!' Nadine then disagreed as said, 'I was dead against it. I'm like we've got so many songs of Girls Aloud as our own. Why do we need to be doing it?'
It was, therefore, the cherry on the cake when Nadine Coyle forgot some of the lyrics on the second night.
During 'Jump (For My Love)', red latex leotard fitted to perfection, Nadine looked knowingly at fans as she wiggled her hips and said, 'I'm singing the wrong words' in time with the song. Of course, the rest of the group seemed to find it funny and were happy to pick up where she left off. What's even more iconic is that it isn't even their original song, it's a cover of The Pointer Sisters.
In a viral clip of the performance on TikTok, one fan wrote, 'her little dance is hilarious' and another said, 'love this. Pop stars are human too. Everyone makes mistakes, just a laugh.' Fellow commenters echoed this sentiment, with one writing, 'it's like brilliant chaos' and someone else putting, 'Nadine my forever favourite.'
The thing about a reunion tour, especially one with such pure intentions, is that the fans are very forgiving. No one is there to discover new music or hear their favourite band live for the very first time. The people who have bought tickets to their sell-out arena tour are loyal huns who know all the words – even when the girls don't.
Would this level of grace be awarded to a new girl band? Maybe, maybe not. All we know is that Girls Aloud have earned their keep and the minute details of this show probably aren't keeping them up at night. They are busy women, business women, mums, wives and friends, and as one TikTok user pointed out, 'humans too'.