Page "Nicola Roberts" Paragraph 3

Still a teenager, Roberts auditioned for the reality television series Popstars The Rivals.

Participants checked into a hotel in Kensington, London before performing to a panel of celebrity judges with Roberts finding she " didn't really have much life experience " up to that point.

During the auditions Roberts coincidentally sat next to Kimberley Walsh who completed the competition to become one of five in the final line-up of the girl-band, and the two spent time rehearsing before their solo audition.

Roberts felt confident before the audition, but during the actual audition she was " terrified " and was unable to smile until celebrity judge Geri Halliwell complimented her performance stating " I think you're great, you're an individual, you really stand out ".

Roberts found her clothing and personality were different to the other participants of Popstars The Rivals ; most were well-trained vocalists and were well dressed whilst Roberts ' clothing was less fashionable due to lack of funds, and she was not as vocally well-trained as the others.

Further down the process of the competition, Roberts was left as one of 15 remaining participants but found that the reality show was becoming increasingly based on personality instead of vocals.

Roberts found her personality to be more concealed than others but was " confident " with her performances.

One notable incident during the competition was when a show-producer expressed to Roberts ' mother that she wouldn't win as she was not " outrageous " or as outgoing as others stating that vocals were secondary ; this left her mother shocked with the politics of the show.

After the final ten participants were selected Roberts was eliminated from the competition, but in the following weeks she was enlisted as a wild-card to return to the show despite reservations from judge Louis Walsh who didn't want her to return.

However, he was overruled by judges Geri Halliwell and Pete Waterman.

Her return to the show stemmed from participant Nicola Ward quitting and Roberts then made it through to the final where she sang the track " I'm So Excited " by The Pointer Sisters ; she was the second contestant to be selected for the group after member Cheryl Cole.

That night the band was formed, and a party involving promotional photographs saw their introduction to band manager John McMahon who would become more of a personal friend for the group.