Modestly titled The Girls Aloud Show, the reunion tour for Girls Aloud has been one of the most anticipated music events of the year for pop fans worldwide, marking a powerful and emotional return to the stage for the beloved U.K. girl group. The outing is the band’s first since disbanding in 2013 and their first time together since the tragic loss of bandmate Sarah Harding, who died from breast cancer in 2021.
With multiple Guinness World Records for chart dominance on The Official U.K. Singles Chart, Girls Aloud has solidified their place in British pop music history. Yet, the years following their breakup allowed personal feuds, mainly between Cheryl, Kimberley Walsh and Nicola Roberts on one side against Nadine Coyle on the other. However, Harding’s death served as a catalyst for reconciliation, with one of her final wishes to bring the women back together as bandmates and friends willing to put the past behind them.
Following the reconciliation and subsequent tour announced at the end of 2023, The Girls Aloud Show tour has grossed $19.1 million from 200,000 fans filling arenas across the 20 dates reported so far to Billboard Boxscore. But beyond the numbers, the real impact of The Girls Aloud Show lies in the heartfelt moments that have defined this reunion.
From emotional tributes to Harding in the show, where the group paused to honor their late friend with tearful speeches and a poignant video montage, to a reimagined Pride concert in August that celebrated the LGBTQ+ community with vibrancy and love, the tour has been a testament to the enduring bond between these women, their fans and the critically acclaimed music from their seven LPs together.
Beyond the celebration, the tour also helped bring awareness and donations to the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal created by her bandmates in April 2023. As one of Sarah’s parting wishes, the foundation developed the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment in Young Women to find new ways to spot the disease. With its second phase of research funded by initiatives in place during the tour, the show also marked a way to honor Harding beyond the stage.
As Girls Aloud take their final bow this month, the members leave behind a legacy not just of chart-topping hits, but of resilience, forgiveness and the power of friendship. The Girls Aloud reunion felt like more than a comeback; it was a celebration of life, great pop music and the memory of a superstar friend who will never be forgotten.
Read on for the best moments from the reunion.
The post “10 Best Moments of the Girls Aloud Reunion” by Jeff Benjamin was published on 08/28/2024 by www.billboard.com