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The Cheeky Girls are a pop music duo formed by twin sisters Monica and Gabriela Irimia, from Cluj-Napoca in Transylvania, Romania, but based in Britain. The sisters were born on October 31, 1982 to Doru and Margit Irimia. Gabriela is older by 10 minutes.

Biography

Their early life in Romania consisted of studying gymnastics and ballet and touring with the Hungarian National Opera. Moving to the United Kingdom with their mother in 2002, the girls shot to fame as the Cheeky Girls after auditions on the British TV shows, Channel 4's Model Behaviour and more importantly Popstars: The Rivals. Following two appearances on the show with their audition which had judges Pete Waterman and Louis Walsh not knowing what to say ("cheeky" Pete Waterman was later quoted as saying they were the worst act ever), various record companies approached the Granada Press Office. The Press Office contacted Paul Holland at Granada Ventures who was able to secure them a deal with the Multiply label part of Telstar Records. "The Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum)" was swiftly recorded and released in the first week in December. Entering the chart at number 3 the single peaked at number 2. In the week before Christmas this was one of three singles from the Popstars: The Rivals show to occupy the Top 3; One True Voice and Girls Aloud held the other two positions.

Although they failed to pass the auditions for either show, they received enough publicity to launch a pop career, releasing four singles and one album in the UK, and also touring Europe and Asia.

Their music is primarily disco-pop. All their songs are written by their mother, who acts as their manager.^{citation needed}

In January 2004, their first single, "The Cheeky Song (Touch my Bum)" was voted the worst pop record of all time in a Channel 4 poll although it had spent 5 weeks in the top 5 in the UK singles chart, and peaking at Number 2 for 4 (non-consecutive) weeks.

The Cheeky Girls were famed at the start of their career for rarely singing live. Contrary to public belief, they have performed live on many occasions (performances during the publicity tour for "Cheeky Flamenco" were always live).^{citation needed}

When their record company Multiply went into liquidation in 2004 the girls turned down several deals from other companies and decided to launch their own label XBN, and have already signed Hollyoaks star Andy Newton-Lee. In August 2004, they appeared as guests in a segment on the British science-related series Brainiac to analyse the effects of stress and relaxation on concentration related tasks, such as remembering series of numbers and singing the lyrics of their song "Cheeky Girls" backwards.

In November 2004, they appeared on a celebrity duo version of the Weakest Link, in which they held the place of Strongest Link in a number of rounds.

In May 2005, they helped to open the studios of new local radio station Big L 1395, along with Cliff Richard. They have also have specially recorded a new version of "We Love the Pirate Stations" for the station. The Cheeky Girls are also involved in a lot of charity work and are very keen supporters of the UK Children's Charity ChildLine.

In June 2006, the Cheeky Girls performed with dance act N-Trance in front of an audience of 1200 at 'Big D', the end-of-year event for students of Derwent College, University of York. They later appeared as guests on ITV's The Mint to promote the album.

On 4 August 2006 London newspaper the Evening Standard reported that the Cheeky Girls were already "at rock bottom" and facing bankruptcy action in court due to the fact they had not been paid by their now defunct record company Telstar Records. The article said that the girls owed £4,500 in unpaid taxes, along with other bills due, and that Telstar owes them £2.2 million.¹

Later it was reported that they owed £130,000 in total.[1]

The Cheeky Girls new album In My Mind Is A Different World (A Cheeky One!) was released as a digital download on the 24th December.

On 1 December 2007 The Cheeky Girls performed and switched on the town's Christmas lights in Camborne, Cornwall. They then performed at The Corn Exchange nightclub in the town.

In October 2008, they appeared on Peter Kay's Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice.

Personal lives

In 2005 the girls stated that they were both a UK dress size 4. They have a waist measurement of 60 centimetres (24 in). The girls also used to both have a bust size of 32A (UK). In 2007 it was revealed that their chests had enlarged considerably due to surgery — now they are 34C.²

The Cheeky Girls currently reside in Rye, East Sussex in England.

Gabriela

In December 2006 it was revealed by the tabloids that Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Öpik had broken up with long time fiancée, ITV1 weather presenter Siân Lloyd, and was now romancing Gabriela.³ He was also involved in a case involving the girls' deportation to Romania.⁴ As of 21 April they were engaged,⁵ though news of Gabriela breaking up with Lembit was reported in July 2008.⁶ It was later reported that Gabriela had miscarried the Montgomeryshire MP's baby.⁷

On December 20, 2006 the BBC News website⁸ reported that the girls' mother, Mrs Irimia, had promised they would bounce back with a new cheeky girl, the twins' six-year-old niece Lory, singing a new version of the Hokey Cokey.

Discography

Albums

• PartyTime — #14 UK
• PartyTime (limited edition) — #34 UK
• In My Mind (Is A Different World - A Cheeky One) — digitally released on the 24 December 2007

Singles

References

1. ^ Cheeky Girls at rock bottom| Showbiz | This is London
2. ^ BBC NEWS | Politics | 'Hello, that's me,' says Lembit
3. ^ BBC NEWS | Wales | Opik and presenter Lloyd separate
4. ^ BBC NEWS | Politics | MP intervened in Cheeky Girl case
5. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7359889.stm BBC News | Politics | Opik to wed Cheeky Girl Gabriela
6. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/2299204/Lembit-Opik--andlsquodumped-by-his-Cheeky-Girl-fianc%C3%A9e-Gabriela-Irimia'.html
7. ^ "Cheeky Girl miscarriage 'personal'", The Press Association, The Press Association (2008-07-20). Retrieved on 20 July 2008. 
8. ^ BBC NEWS | Politics | Cheeky Girl's 'love' for MP Opik

External links

• Official Cheeky Girls Myspace