EXCLUSIVE: Nadine Coyle – Solo Success & Life Lessons

Since her Popstars: The Rivals and Girls Aloud days, Nadine Coyle has certainly come far. After the band went their separate ways, Nadine busied herself with her own material, and it is safe the say the public are loving her new music.
“My EP has now been released and it’s all going really well,” Nadine told us. “There’s something on there for everyone, but the overall message is that we are not victims – we are strong and in control of our own destiny.
“It expresses that we can stand on our own two feet; things may not go the way we want them to but that’s OK, it’s all part of the journey.”
Unsurprisingly, Nadine found it somewhat difficult to go from a five piece unit to a soloist, especially when performing songs from the band’s repertoire: “There’s been a few shows I’ve done the Girls Aloud numbers and at first it was kind of weird because you expect someone else to come on with their part,” she confessed.
“So yeah, it definitely takes a lot of getting used to. You have to do it all and you’re on constantly – before I could sneak off and drink some water discreetly whilst someone else was talking to the audience but now I have to make drinking water part of the show, and I’m like, how can I drink this water in an entertaining way?” (laughs).
On her 2018 tour the starlet will be performing songs from her forthcoming album as well as some of Girls Aloud’s greatest hits.
Her latest tracks include ‘Girls on Fire’, which celebrates strong women, ‘Gossip’, which is more laid back, the feel-good ‘Something In Your Bones’ and a cover of the ‘September Song’ by JP Cooper.
So, what can we expect from Nadine’s UK tour? “You’ll definitely leave in a better mood than when you came in,” she said. “I love going to shows and dancing and singing along and throwing my hands up and my hair about so that’s the kind of show we are making – one with a great party atmosphere.
“I am most looking forward to seeing the audience’s reactions to my new songs, and it’s also amazing to see them freak out when they hear the beginning of a song they know and love – it’s a magical feeling.”
If you are wondering what gets Nadine in the right frame of mood for a show, you may be surprised at the answer. Forget warming up her vocal chords or having a hot cup of tea, Nadine instead prefers to get active!
“I have one routine that I do to prepare myself for a show; it started 9 years ago and I’ve had to do it ever since,” she divulged. “I have to do 10 press-ups because if I don’t, it’s gonna be a bad show. It’s like superstition.
“I’ve done the press-ups in some really dingy and weird places, with my legs half in the bathroom and half in the dressing room, or in corridors…I started it so long ago and I can’t stop it.”
Unusual warm-up regimes aside, Nadine has definitely progressed, both musically and personally, and this is something she readily admits.
“When I started out, I was so young,” she commented. “I was 17 and had limited experience at this point, even though I had had a boyfriend and been cheated on and been through all the dramas at school.
“At that age you feel like you are so well-rounded and then you look back and think, ‘aww, how sweet’! Life gives you loads of experiences and you can bring these into your singing – in terms of learning, everything is better the older you get.”
Family life has also mellowed Nadine, who is currently very content with her partner Jason Bell and 4-year-old daughter Anaíya. Her other interest is cooking, which she describes as her ‘go-to thing’ because it allows her to be creative and experimental.
As well as indulging in cultural cooking (her favourite foods are Indian and Caribbean dishes) to help her relax, Nadine chooses to adopt a laid-back and level-headed approach to life.
“My mantra is to try and live in the moment as much as I can,” she concluded. “This gives you a sense that nothing is too big or overwhelming; you just have to deal with what is happening now – you can focus on the next thing when it happens.”
NADINE’s tour will take place in May. Get your ticket now at seetickets.com/tour/nadine-coyle.
> Hannah Montgomery