Why I Love: Going radio ga-ga

Nicola Roberts, singer, Girls Aloud

I don't know what I'd do if I woke up in the morning and couldn't sing. I'd rather lose a finger. Singing is a huge part of who I am.

When I was 11 or so, I sang "I'll Be There" in a talent contest on holiday in Devon. I think my mum was surprised to see I had something. After that, everyone was really encouraging and I won loads of competitions singing Whitney Houston songs.

Me poor dad was like a taxi service! I took lessons so I know how to protect my voice – you'll never catch me belting out karaoke, like [fellow Girl Aloud] Sarah [Harding]. She gets up to sing and she never sits down.

I couldn't learn to play an instrument – I have the attention span of a fly – but I'm always writing songs and singing along to the radio. Sometimes I don't even realise I'm doing it. Me boyfriend hates it.

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