New Delhi: Kerry Katona the famous pop group Atomic Kitten singer who rose to fame says her struggle for success was eventually harder as she was a girl and counts her experiences as amazing so far.
The English singer in an interview said: “From being a child from a foster home and then all this fame hitting you, it was amazing. The build-up, or the climb up the ladder, was really good. But believe it or not, the fame… I didn’t enjoy it at all. I just wanted a moment, so I left (but then) got married to somebody else who was really famous. The fame just kind of followed me.”
Questioning her opinion if the situation was any different, she said: “If I had a penis, if I was a man, it would have been completely different. First time, with Kittens, it was so much harder to reach the height of fame and be liked — because we weren’t males. If we were males, then it wouldn’t have been a problem.
“All we had to do is stand up with a chest,” Katona said.
“That was with Westlife. I remember watching them. It is a completely different world … It is different for boys and girls. Girls have to work harder.”
Recalling her journey, the singer who hails from Warrington, says her first step was to join the girl group Atomic Kitten in the late 1990s.
Their debut single “Right now”, which came out in 1999, was big a success, and they followed it up with “See ya” in 2000. Other popular singles are “Cradle”, “I want your love” and “Follow me”.
She left the band in 2001 and went on to win reality TV show “I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here” in 2004, and then rejoined the group in 2012.
Katona performed in India for the first time in October at Dublin Square, Phoenix Marketcity, in Mumbai and at a venue in Bengaluru, with Liberty X’s Michelle Heaton and Zoe Birkett.
The singer says one has to be “thick-skinned” to handle everything that comes with being famous.
“Take it all as long as my kids know me… That is all that matters,” said the mother of five.
“I would love to wear all the Indian clothes and show some moves,” she added while showing off some “desi” hand and shoulder steps.
Talking about her India trip, she said: “They told me not to drink the water and don’t eat meat (in India). But I had loads of meat and loads of water and I am all right.”