Ashley Allyn Roberts (born September 14, 1981) is an American singer, dancer, and media personality. She was a member of the girl group and dance ensemble the Pussycat Dolls between 2003 and 2010. With two albums and over 55 million records sold worldwide, the Pussycat Dolls became one of the world's best-selling female groups of all time.[1][2][3] Roberts also had a brief career as a solo singer with the album Butterfly Effect (2014).
Ashley Roberts was born and raised on September 14, 1981,[7] in Phoenix, Arizona.[8] She is the daughter of Pat Roberts, a former drummer of the Mamas & the Papas, and Peggy Lorraine,[9] a Pilates instructor.[10] They split when she was 14. She has a younger brother, Jayce who at 16, was diagnosed with a severe mental illness after years of misdiagnosis.[9] A DNA test revealed the family is of English, Irish, Swedish, and Spanish ancestry. She began studying styles such as contemporary, hip-hop, and jazz at an early age, which inspired her to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.[11]
In 2001, Roberts relocated to Los Angeles, where she worked as a professional dancer in music videos for artists such as Aaron Carter, Josh Groban, and Counting Crows.[12]
Through a friend, Roberts learned about the Pussycat Dolls, a modern burlesque dance ensemble founded in 1995 by choreographer Robin Antin.[11] The troupe performed regularly at The Viper Room during that time.[13] Roberts successfully auditioned and began performing with the group in 2002.[11] The following year, Antin, struck a deal with Interscope Geffen A&M Records' Jimmy Iovine to develop the group into a brand and create a separate popgirl group. It ultimately consisted of six members: Carmit Bachar, Roberts, Nicole Scherzinger, Jessica Sutta, Melody Thornton, and Kimberly Wyatt who signed a contract with the Pussycat Dolls partnership, receiving a percentage of the group's revenues.[14] Though it was later revealed that the members are actually salaried employees of the label.[15] In April 2005, they released their first single, "Don't Cha" (featuring Busta Rhymes),[16] which stands as the group's most successful single to date peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart[17] and reaching the top in 15 other countries.[18] They released their self-titled debut album in September 2005.[19] Subsequent singles "Stickwitu and "Buttons" also reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, with the former earning Roberts a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[20] The album went on to sell seven million copies worldwide[a] and established the group as viable in the music industry earning them a reputation among the century's few breakout successes.[13]
Roberts played a supporting role in the dance filmMake It Happen (2008), which starred Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Tessa Thompson.[22] It was released in the UK on August 8, 2008, and went direct-to-video in the US on December 9, grossing $10.15 million at the box office.[23] The group's second and final studio album Doll Domination was released in September 2008 and attained their highest position on the Billboard 200 (number four).[24] The album is considered a commercial disappointment selling less than 400,000 copies in the US which propelled the label to reissue the album with new songs.[b] The album and its reissues spawned three top-twenty singles: "When I Grow Up", "I Hate This Part", and "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)".[26] The latter sparked controversy and media attention as it credited Scherzinger as a featured artist, leading to internal friction within the group.[27] The album was additionally promoted with their second headlining concert tour, Doll Domination Tour which grossed over $14million.[c] The group would then confirm a hiatus towards the end of the year.[29]
2010–2018: Breakthrough on British television
In February 2010, Roberts announced her departure from the group in pursuit of acting and solo music.[30] Her first solo release, a beat-driven cover of "Theme from A Summer Place," was released in September through B-Sharp Records and Saguaro Road Rhythm (SRR), part of Saguaro Road Records.[31]
In 2012, Roberts signed to Cherry Red Records and released her debut single, "Yesterday" in November.[32] The release coincided with her participation in the twelfth series of the British reality show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, finishing as the runner-up.[33] Although initially hesitant to participate, Roberts’ appearance on the show elevated her profile in the UK, establishing her as one of the breakout stars of that series and leading to subsequent television and commercial opportunities.[34] The following year Roberts signed up as judge on the eighth series of Dancing on Ice[35] and became a presenter on Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway,[36] regularly appearing throughout the show to help judge the Ant vs Dec challenges and various other competitions.[37] Furthermore she made regular appearances on This Morning and became the face the online boutique, KEY Fashion.[38]
In early 2014, Roberts continued her role as a judge on ninth and final series of Dancing on Ice.[39] Later she released her first fragrance Ashley by Ashley Roberts,[40] and launched a Spring/Summer 2014 collection for KEY Fashion.[41] In May, she released her debut album's lead single, "Clockwork", a power ballad with "soaring strings, pounding drums and ethereal chant."[42] It failed to enter the top 100 in the UK Singles Chart.[43] A second single, "Woman Up", followed in August.[44] The album titled, Butterfly Effect, was released on the following month. Nick Duerden of The Independent described it as a "airy and catchy" pop album, incorporating themes of female empowerment reminiscent to Katy Perry’s musical style.[45] Released to little fanfare, it failed to reach the top 100 of the UK Albums Chart.[46] She participated in Ant & Dec's Takeaway on Tour, hosting the Ant vs. Dec segment for a total of 34 shows between August 6 and September 13.[47] The following year she was a contestant in The Jump where she was eliminated in the second week.[48]
Roberts took over the hosting of the travel and lifestyle program 1st Look starting on January 9, 2016, on NBC owned-and-operated stations nationwide.[49] She hosted the show until 2018, and was nominated for Outstanding Travel and Adventure Program at the 45th Daytime Emmy Awards.[50] Named after her middle name, Roberts launched Allyn, a women’s footwear brand for spring 2017.[51] In September 2018, she was paired with professional partner, Pasha Kovalev for series 16 of Strictly Come Dancing.[52] Her casting attracted criticism from viewers who felt her professional dance experience was unfair to the other contestants.[53] Despite the controversy, Roberts would end up being the show's highest scored contestant and was announced as one of the runner-ups of the series.[54][55]
2019–present: Professional expansion
In June 2019, Roberts made her West End debut, starring as Dawn, in the musical, Waitress. Her Stricly participation reignited her passion for live performances and was encouraged by the casting director, who was a fan of her appearances, to audition for the role. Roberts was drawn to the production’s humor, progressive story, and music.[56] Sandra Howell of London Theatre Direct complimented Roberts for capturing the character's anxious, awkward charm though noted her solo song was seen as vocally demanding, with stronger moments in ensemble pieces.[57] That same month, she became the showbiz correspondent of the national Heart Breakfast radio show, hosted by Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden.[58]
On November 29, 2019, The Pussycat Dolls confirmed their comeback and, on February 7, 2020, they released a new single, "React", with a live performance on the finale of The X Factor: Celebrity.[59][60][61] They announced a 36-date world tour, but plans were canceled due the worsening situation arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and the group ended the reunion in 2021.[62]
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