Today (September 5th 2021) the nation heard the devastating news that the thirty-nine year old Girls Aloud superstar, Sarah Harding, has passed away after a battle with breast cancer. After the star previously announced that she would not ‘see another Christmas,’ the reality of Harding’s illness started to set in amongst fans; even though we were prepared for this inevitable outcome, hearing the news today was still so shocking for many including myself, who hoped and prayed that somebody had got it wrong. It is always devastating when somebody loses their fight to cancer but to lose somebody at such a young age is absolutely heart-breaking. Girls Aloud made up a large part of my childhood; Harding had such a big impact on young girls like myself who admired her talent and friendly personality – it is only right that we celebrate Harding’s phenomenal career, as whilst her life was tragically cut short she definitely lived her life to the full whilst she could.

Harding had such a big impact on young girls like myself who admired her talent and friendly personality – it is only right that we celebrate Harding’s phenomenal career

Girls Aloud:

Harding’s fame sparked from the show Popstars: The Rivals in which she was chosen to become one of five members of a new girl band, Girls Aloud. When the girl group formed in 2002, the girls did not know just how big they were to become, quickly becoming one of the biggest girl bands on the planet. Harding had the girls (Cheryl, Kimberly Walsh, Nadine Coyle and Nicola Roberts) by her side through the good and the bad times of her career, becoming chart-toppers with hits such as ‘The Promise,’ ‘Sound of the Underground’ and ‘I’ll Stand by You.’ With five studio albums under their belt, the girls made success through their catchy tunes, likeable personalities, impeccable fashion sense and talent. Harding was clearly the glue of the group as whilst the girls fell out after the band dispersed in 2013, all girls rushed to support Harding after she went public with her cancer diagnosis in August 2020, resurrecting their friendship. Harding was clearly popular amongst both her friends, family and friends with the band giving her the platform to show the world just how special she was.

Celebrity Big Brother:

Four years after the split of Girls Aloud, Harding went solo, becoming a contestant in Celebrity Big Brother – a perfect opportunity for the public to see who ‘the real Sarah Harding’ was without her other band members. She wanted to show everyone who she was behind the ‘party girl’ persona the media was drawn to. The public took a shine to the singer and rightfully made her the deserving winner of the series, although she caused divisions amongst viewers over how open she was willing to be on the show. 

The world was her oyster and it showed

Acting Roles:

There is no denying that Harding was a multi-talented individual; she was certainly seen as a triple threat in the industry. Whilst she will always be remembered for being a singing sensation, Harding was also a skilled actress. She was so excited when she got the role of Molly in the 2016 production of Ghost: The Musical, also acting in popular British shows such as St Trinian’s and Coronation Street. Being an actress, singer, dancer and model it is almost impossible for anybody to have not heard of Sarah Harding – a household name for many. Suddenly, she was making a name for herself everywhere, whether that be on the television, on the radio or in the theatre. The world was her oyster and it showed.

Hear Me Out:

Hear Me Out was the autobiography that set out to tell all. Released in March, 2021, the book could be considered as Harding’s most important last words. Fans knew the significance of the book and knew that it would be the singer’s last – if there was ever a time to be completely open with the public, it was now. The written words of Harding are bittersweet – they celebrate her exciting career yet do not shy away from the harsh realities of fame. She honestly speaks out about feeling ‘unwanted’ in the band, with her true identity being forgotten. The book was her last action in taking back control from the media and tabloids and it beautifully portrayed the woman behind the spotlight. A woman who was talented, beautiful and kind to the very end. Her actions never went unnoticed, demonstrated with the star donating all the proceeds of her song ‘Wear it like a Crown’ to charity in one last ‘final act of kindness.’

Harding’s career was certainly eventful with her beautiful soul being missed by all those who loved her

Harding’s career was certainly eventful with her beautiful soul being missed by all those who loved her. I hope that she is looking down on the world with pride, knowing the great legacy she left and how inspirational her career was to so many young women who wish to follow in her footsteps.

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