Atomic Kitten’s Natasha Hamilton - ‘We were young and working-class. We were dismissed.’

Natasha Hamilton was 16 when she signed a record deal with the girl band, Atomic Kitten. The group went on to sell over 10 million records and achieve three UK Number One singles including Whole Again and The Tide Is High. But the pressures of fame affected her mental health and made her feel isolated and judged. After five years and the birth of her first son, Hamilton quit the band. Today, Hamilton tells that story - the one that existed behind the headlines. We talk about the toxicity of 90s and early Y2K media, surviving postnatal depression and financial catastrophe after divorce. Plus we talk about why she set up her own record label, Morpho, to focus on nurturing and empowering young talent rather than - as she puts it - ‘moulding them into a product’. An amazing woman whose resilience should be an inspiration to us all! Natasha Hamilton’s new single Fantasy is out now. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Introduction 03:15 Forties And Clarity 04:47 Writing Numb 06:03 Morpho Records And Duty Of Care 08:11 Bullied But Born To Sing 14:13 Fame Tabloids And Numbness 21:40 Whole Again And Industry Bias 29:37 Making Peace With The Band 31:17 Rebuilding Sisterhood Again 31:37 Losing Pop Star Identity 32:43 Shock Pregnancy And Isolation 35:17 Postnatal Breakdown And Help 38:12 CBT And Taking Control 40:40 New Career In Beauty 46:00 Divorce Money Chaos And Recovery 💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: From the age of 16 I was constantly told who to be: what to do, how to look, how to act - I’d never been given the reins of my own life before. There is no wrong decision, if it works it works. I thought: everyone’s judging me for not being thin enough. Fame was so isolating. If you’re struggling - talk to someone. It’s incredible what can happen when you back yourself. 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Natasha Hamilton’s new single, Numb, is out now If you need someone to talk to, the Samaritans are available 24 hours a day: www.samaritans.org or call on 116 123 Join the How To Fail community: www.howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Elizabeth’s Substack: www.theelizabethday.substack.com 📚 WANT MORE? Vicky Pattison - on Geordie Shore, self-worth, PMDD and family addiction: swap.fm/l/kUiBIHEkL1y3C9moLdsx Louise Thompson - on how severe trauma after childbirth, chronic illness and the loss of her former identity forced her to rebuild her life with self-compassion: swap.fm/l/LouiseThompson 💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories 👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth: Instagram: @elizabday TikTok: @howtofailpod Podcast Instagram: @howtofailpod Website: www.elizabethday.org Elizabeth and Natasha answer listener questions in our subscriber series, Failing with Friends. Join our community of subscribers here: www.howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan Engineer: Matias Torres Assistant Producer: Shania Manderson Senior Producer: Hannah Talbot Executive Producer: Alex Lawless How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com _________________________________________________________________________ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices