Girls Aloud became the nation's sweethearts after winning ITV reality show Popstars: The Rivals back in 2002. The fivesome of Cheryl, Sarah, Kimberly, Nicola and Nadine won their places in the band after a gruelling audition process, competing against five other girls to win their place in the band on live TV each week.
But all was not lost for the girls who missed out on a place in Girls Aloud 20 years ago.
For Emma Beard, Aimee Kearsley, Lynsey Brown and Chloe Staines were swiftly signed up to become rival girlband Clea after being voted off the ITV show. Their band name was derived from the first letters of all their names. - although it was a last-minute decision after they were told another band had their chosen name of Origin.
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They would go on to live the popstar dream - jetting around the world and performing in front of thousands of adoring fans. There would be regular appearances on Saturday morning TV and Top of the Pops, photoshoots and launch parties, while meeting their music heroes along the way.
But the girls were all teenagers barely out of school when they auditioned for the ITV show. And living out of suitcases for the next few years would go on to take its emotional and physical toll on them all.
While their career never hit the heights of Girls Aloud in the UK, it was overseas that their career really took off and they went on to release three albums before calling it quits in 2008.
They have remained friends with the Girls Aloud girls over the years, despite the supposed "rivalry" that was whipped up in the media when they first launched as Clea. While they have all faced their own share of heartbreak as a band, they watched on with devastation as their friend Sarah Harding died from cancer in 2021.
Then, a recent reunion dinner between the four girls, after ten years apart, sparked so much interest when they posted a photo on social media, that they saw offers flood in to reunite as a band.
And so they agreed to perform once again - with a major festival appearance at the Mighty Hoopla on June 2 and 3 - and are now in rehearsals for their big comeback show.
One of their biggest fans is TV star Rylan Clark - who has promised to be cheering them on from the wings at that big reunion. Their comeback will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their very first single, Download It, being released.
For the four girls, it has brought back all the memories of the highs, lows and dramas of being in a noughties girl band. They all lived together in one big house alongside the Girls Aloud girls while the ITV show was filmed.
They then continued to live together when they formed Clea. It would create close emotional bonds, as well as tensions, as the young women all faced finding fame and growing up together.
Chloe was the first to leave after just two years in the band. The trio of Emma, Aimee and Lynsey continued on to record two more albums.
Lynsey would leave in 2006, with Aimee and Emma continuing as a duo to see out their contract until disbanding permanently in 2008. "We were constantly getting opinions on us, we were working round the clock, it was just so intense," says Emma now.
Their reunion will be the first time the original line-up are back on stage together in 18 years. "It has been really cathartic, and it's great to dip our toes back in for something we all have such a passion for," says Emma.
Here, each member of the band tells their own personal story - how they came to audition for Popstars, coming to join Clea, who chose to leave and why, what happened when the band was completely over - and why they wanted to reunite now.
Emma Kelly (nee Beard)
Emma was the "nearly Cheryl" of the band - she lost out to Cheryl Tweedy in winning a place in Girls Aloud on the ITV show in an emotional final audition watched by millions. She would be dogged with comparisons to Cheryl throughout her music career thanks to their similar raven-haired looks.
"In the series, Geri Halliwell always put us up together, but actually we weren't that similar," says Emma. "They built this thing in between me and her, so that the public almost could only vote one of us in."
Emma was just 17 when she went to the first audition for Popstars The Rivals, straight out of school. She recalls: "Davina McCall happened to be there on the day interviewing people in the line-up. She asked 'do you want to sing live on This Morning' and I said 'yeah ok!' I'm still in touch with Davina now after all these years.
"I look back now and think how young I was, from such a small town to be catapulted into that world."
She made it through those early auditions to make the final ten, with all ten girls recording the vocals to Sounds of the Underground - the winner's track for the eventual Girls Aloud. Then week by week as each girl got voted off by the public, their vocal was stripped off the track. Emma laughs: "When I listen to the song now I swear I can hear my vocals still on there."
The final ten all lived together for months in the same house ahead of the live TV shows, forging lifelong friendships, despite the fact they were all competing to be in the band. But when each girl was voted off, they were offered the chance to be part of a new girl band - and Clea was born.
Emma now recognises how difficult it was always going to be with the comparisons to Girls Aloud.
"Girls Aloud were phenomenal, they were out of this world amazing," she says. "So we were always going to play second to that, that's fine, we knew that. So we targeted other markets like Germany, Asia.
"Internationally we did really well, but in the UK we were like top 20. And back then if you weren't in the top 10 you weren't deemed successful. But we were in a band for nearly ten years travelling the world, and I'm really proud with what we achieved at the time, and we did some incredible things.
"But the pressure was so intense. Back then everyone was like 'oh God do you feel bad that you're not in Girls Aloud' in every interview - but that wasn't our journey. The media wanted it to be this fight, but we didn't want to be apart, we were mates, we wanted to hang out. We were all human beings and all just wanted to do music."
When Chloe left Clea after two years, Emma was devastated. But looking back now, she sees how all the girls were in need of support.
"Where was the support for Chloe, and for all of us?," she said. "We were trying to help her but we didn't know how to. It was really intense and when she left I was devastated. It was a painful, horrible situation and I never felt like there was proper closure. I wish we had worked through those things together at the time.
"But it was literally like, it was done, she doesn't want to be a part of it anymore. We made an announcement, they said she wanted to leave for a solo career, but now we've come back to talk about it as adults and she was able to talk about the reasons she left and we all cried really. I wish she'd had time to heal and then come back."
The band continued on as a trio, and then when Lynsey left in 2006, Emma and Aimee would carry on. She says: "When Lynsey left, we had commitments, we could not pull out of our contracts. We did the Troops Tour, we were contractually committed. We would have stopped after Lynsey, but we were tied in for two more years."
When the band was finally over, Emma was keen to try for a solo career, but the comparisons with Cheryl would return. She says: "It was at the time Cheryl Cole was blowing up all over as a solo artist and rightly so, and there just wasn't room for me. I did my own solo album, but because of the comparisons to Cheryl it just was never going to happen.
"I ended up selling up my solo songs and it came to the point I thought 'do you know what, I'm done. I want to have a family, find some other joy'."
Using her contacts in the industry, Emma would go on to forge a successful career in media and marketing. "I do not regret for one minute not getting into Girls Aloud," she says. "I feel grateful for the connections we all made.
"Going back to 'normal' life after being semi-famous is the hardest transition you can ever do. But now, being my own authentic self, is how I found real happiness."
Emma, now 39, lives in Altrincham with her husband, actor Danny Kelly, and their four-year-old twin boys. In a strange twist of fate, Danny had also been a contestant on Popstars, although Emma never got to know him then. It was only years later that they would reconnect when she moved to Manchester for her career and fell in love.
Having the opportunity to reform Clea this weekend is a celebration, Emma says.
"I just want to enjoy this as four women back on stage. And just enjoy it this time around. If you think about it when we first came together we were all 16, 17 years old, it's crazy really.
"When I look back at old photos it makes me cry, because I look at those young girls who were so young and innocent thrown into this beast of an industry. I wish I was the person I am now, back then.
"This is our opportunity to be authentic. This is the first time the public will get to know us I suppose.
"We're all so different, but now we celebrate each other's difference, but have the same message which is wherever you are in life, you can unite as women - that girl power message really - build each other up and support each other. That's why I'm doing this."
Lynsey Shaw (nee Brown)
Lynsey was often compared to Sarah Harding through the auditions stage - as both were seen as "blonde, mouthy Mancs". Lynsey, originally from Worsley, struck up a close bond with Sarah during the auditions due to their shared northern roots.
She met Sarah at her first auditions at The Lowry hotel in Salford and stayed close from that moment on. Sarah even lent Lynsey clothes through the auditions.
"I was just 18/19 when I started, but I ended up the mum of the group because everyone was so young. I was very streetwise growing up, so I kind of settled into that role. We were plucked from our own homes, we were set up in this house together and were told you have to look after yourselves now.
"I was just so grateful to be in this position, I sort of forgot that it was a competition, I was just having a great time with friends (who were) like-minded women. All of a sudden it was like 'oh we're on this show, and you've got this opportunity to join this group'. You didn't question things really, not so much that we were uncomfortable, but we didn't really voice it.
"But looking back now, I feel like maybe it wouldn't have been the best thing for me to get in Girls Aloud, it wasn't the right moment for me.
"I was in a room with Nadine and Sarah at first, we lived over three floors. We all used to have dinner together. It was like being a student in that sense."
Joining Clea was exciting for Lynsey, and she is proud of what they achieved - against the odds. She says: "Because of that comparison to Girls Aloud, we were pigeonholed to not be the same. But now when I listen back to the music, it was a bit ahead of its time really. We came off the back of a reality TV show, to then be 'oh they're trying to be real musicians' and maybe that did jar."
When Chloe left the band, Lynsey initially felt angry, and it was only 10 years they were able to talk through how they had all felt. She says: "That was the first time we'd spoken and that was cathartic because it wasn't dealt with very well at the time."
After Chloe left, they changed record labels, and Lynsey began to feel the band were changing direction. In 2006 she made the decision that she needed to leave. "I was at breaking point, I felt a bit lost," she says. "I was financially struggling as well, I was really reckless with my money.
"I spoke to the girls and told them how I felt. I ended up meeting my husband, I set up my own salon, and I actually really enjoyed having a routine. It kept me more mentally well."
Lynsey, now 40, lives in Warrington with her son 11, and daughter 8, and runs her own successful hairdressing and beauty business.
Lynsey laughs: "When I look back at old pictures of me I think "oh no". People ask me which one I was in the band because everyone is always like "you look so different now".
Four months ago Lynsey was diagnosed with ADHD and it has been a huge relief to understand why and how she has felt over the years. "I'm so grateful there isn't such a stigma anymore for people talking about mental health."
She is looking forward to reuniting together as a band on their own terms. She says: "It's sort of saying to women, it doesn't matter what age you are, if you want to do something you should just go for it."
Chloe Morgan (nee Staines)
Chloe, from Chelmsford, Essex, was 19 when she auditioned for her place on Popstars. She would go on to lose out to Kimberley Walsh in the live shows to join Girls Aloud.
Thinking back to the auditions now, they came at a tough time for her. She says: "I remember being really low at the time as I had just lost my uncle who was like a father to me and also had an eating disorder so my mum pushed me to do the audition, as she knew it would change my life.
"When I got through I went from a low to a high, looking back, it was my saving grace at that time."
She enjoyed the auditions, but naturally it was tough when she missed out on her place in the band. She says: "Of course initially it was difficult and feelings of rejection that come with that but I remember accepting it right away. I received a call from Denis Ingoldsby (a music producer we met on the show) after I came out of the show and he asked me for a meeting.
"When I met up with him he suggested all of us girls getting together to form another band. So we waited to see who was coming out next, which was Aimée and we all met up and agreed!"
"The highlights for me were recording the album and being surprised by our own abilities and working with some really amazing producers. I loved making our first video “Download It” n Vancouver, that was such an amazing experience. And Top of The Pops will always be a favourite memory.
"What I found difficult being in the band was not seeing family and always being together without breaks. I feel you always need time and space away from people to have 'you time', otherwise it can get a little much.
"I’m quite an independent person and value having my own time. Also I was struggling with an eating disorder at that time so I found it very challenging not having support and trying to navigate through that."
Indeed, it would be her eating disorder that would bring her end to her time in the band. She says now: "Having an eating disorder was a struggle and pressure for not just myself but for all those around me as well. It caused conflict which created more conflict in other areas, so it was a vicious circle.
"I began to become very unhappy, so I felt the best thing was for me to leave to find another path that I could flourish in. Looking back it could have been handled differently, however the decision to leave was for the best and I’m grateful for all the growth and the road to recovery and success I was able to make."
It was getting the girls back together to talk about the reasons behind Chloe's departure that has helped them all to come back together. Chloe now has her own radio show in Vancouver, where she moved to after leaving the band.
Chloe said: "The girls and I had the opportunity to talk about it on my radio show “Vibes 4 U” for the first time as a four and it was very healing. We are all at peace and have understanding. There is forgiveness for both sides of the story, which has reopened that door for us to work together again."
Her hopes for the reunion are "about making something wrong, right." She adds: "My hope would be that we really enjoy ourselves and bring joy to the stage with each other and our audience. It feels really special that we are doing it so we would like to put on the best show we can and have the best time together!"
Chloe says she hopes their reunion can inspire others.
She says: "When we got asked to return to stage after all these years, we took the leap of faith together and did the unexpected. It feels very special to have this opportunity to come back together as women, support one another’s vision and this time, do it our way.
"We hope our reunion will encourage others, if you have a dream, no matter your life stage, to go for it! Listen to that inner voice saying 'could I?' give it room to grow, and find a space to let it flourish."
Aimee Kearsley
Aimee was just 16 years old when she auditioned for Popstars and had just finished high school in Southport. She recalls: "I was about to start college but came across the audition in the Stage newspaper and begged my dad to drive me to Manchester.
"I remember standing in what seemed like the longest queue of people, eagerly waiting for my chance to audition! I remember feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement to get my chance to sing in front of the judges."
She would fast become a fan favourite as the 'baby' of the group. Although her young age meant it was particularly sad when she was voted off the show. She says now: "Obviously I was devastated - I ugly cried on national TV!
"But at the time it all felt very intense, and I felt at the time that my chance of being in this amazing girl band had been taken away from me. It was a hard lesson to learn, but also an important one."
She adds: "I never had any regrets about doing the show, despite the traumatic process of leaving, it is what guided me onto my journey in the music industry and finally achieving my dream of becoming a popstar. I loved getting to live in the huge house we were put into with the girls.
"I had never lived away from home before and loved that feeling of being in this new sorority of women who all loved music and singing just as much as I did and wanted to make their dream of becoming a singer true."
Aimee, now 37, says forming Clea felt like a 'second chance' to do the thing she loved most. But it was hard to adjust to life constantly on the road.
"I look back now and feel proud of myself for being that brave and bold and following my dreams all the way to London. It was such a learning curve and crazy part of my life. I really loved the recording process and being in the studio so much when we first formed Clea."
Aimee and Emma would see out the band's contract until 2007, and with the band over she continued to work in the music industry.
She says: "I moved into the live touring side of the industry. I have worked in management, at one of the largest promoters in the UK, (SJM Concerts) and finally at several music agencies in London before now landing at CAA, one of the largest agencies in the world. We handle all the live aspects of an artist’s career, from small headline shows right the way up to arena level shows and festival bookings worldwide."
Getting the girls back together has been exciting but "very out of the blue" she says.
"We have considered a few different things over the years, but nothing has ever really aligned or felt right," says Aimee. "This time it did though, call it divine timing or the universe working its magic, but we all agreed to finally making it happen.
"We just want to put on the best possible show that we can and really celebrate the career and music we had back then. Our music never really got the recognition it deserved, we had this amazing album called ‘Identity Crisis’ that we worked so hard to record and write on that never got to see the light of day!
"We have always said and felt that the album was ahead of its time, and that still stands true as the music for us still sounds just as good today as it did back then. We are so excited to finally get to perform together again."
What happened to Javine?
The one missing part of the puzzle here is Javine Hylton - the only contestant in the final 10 who didn't make Girls Aloud, but didn't join Clea either.
She made it to the final six in the TV talent show, so she literally was the last to miss out in a spot in the band. Her departure was controversial as she was widely considered one of the best singers on the show.
The girls in Clea were told by their management that Javine was planning to pursue a solo career after failing to make Girls Aloud so would not be joining their band. She released her debut solo single in 2003, Real Things, which went to number 4 in the charts.
Emma said: "She did ask us once why she was never asked to join the group, but we were told she didn't want to as she was going solo. It feels like there were maybe blurred lines at that time. We would have loved her to have been part of the group."
Javine also went on to represent the UK in Eurovision in 2005 with the song Touch My Fire. She has also made a number of TV appearances since, including on The Games and Celebrity Masterchef.
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