A Journey Through Aussie Pop

Ep 7: Girlfriend Part 2: It's Up To You, GF4 and Malaria

Chart Beats Season 1 Episode 7

We continue the story of Australian girl group Girlfriend, with Melanie Alexander, Jacqui Cowell, Siobhann Heidenreich and Robyn Loau telling us about the promotional trips they made overseas, especially to the UK and Japan, in an attempt to break internationally. Back in Australia, the group moved on to second album It's Up To You, although "Heartbeat" and "Wishing On The Same Star" didn't achieve the chart highs of the singles from their debut album. But the girls had other issues to worry about, including a lack of money flowing through to them despite solid record sales and regular concert tours. We hear about the tumultuous period that followed, with a change in management and the decision by Robyn to leave the group. Out of that upheaval came two great singles: "Sooner Or Later" by the rebranded GF4 and Robyn's solo release, "Sick With Love", both of which reached the top 20 and proved moving in new musical directions was the way to go. But the wheels fell off both GF4 and Robyn's solo career — and the ladies explain what happened in both cases. Despite the ups and downs of Girlfriend's career, theirs is a story of paving new paths in pop and holding their own in a male-dominated industry.

Bonus material at chartbeats.com.au/aussie
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