Girls@Play
British girl group known for character-themed music videos.
Girls@Play were a London-based British girl group formed in 2000, comprising five members: Vicky Dowdall, Lisa-Jay White, Rita Simons, Lynsey Shaw, and Shelley Nash. The group was signed to GSM Records and worked with producers Mike Stock and Matt Aitken of Stock & Aitken. A distinctive feature of their music videos was that each member portrayed a different character—Dowdall as a cowgirl, White as an executive, Simons as a mechanic, Shaw as a New York City traffic cop, and Nash as a pilot. This concept earned them comparisons to a female version of the Village People.
The group released two singles: "Airhead" on 12 February 2001, and a cover of Mel and Kim's "Respectable" on 1 October 2001. "Airhead" peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart on 18 February 2001, while "Respectable" reached number 29 on 7 October 2001. They also served as support acts for Hear'Say and Steps during their arena tours in 2000 and 2001. The group's disbandment was announced on 18 November 2001.
In January 2014, management reportedly held talks about reforming the group, and discussions also took place regarding a potential reunion for the second series of *The Big Reunion*, though neither materialised. Rita Simons later hinted at a possible future reunion. Another round of talks about reforming occurred in March 2016, but again no reunion happened. In 2019, previously unreleased tracks from their unfinished album appeared on Spotify, including "When Love Takes Over You", "Outta My Head", "Forget About Love", "Everything I Need", and "Brand New Car".
Vicky Dowdall (born 23 January 1979 in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear) grew up in Heworth, Gateshead, and trained at Reavley Theatre School. In 1999, she was one of three session singers recruited by Pete Waterman for a remake of "That's What Love Can Do" under the name Toutes Les Filles. After Girls@Play ended, she formed a pop duo with schoolfriend Camilla Romestrand, initially called Neway, then Honeytrap, Honeybeat, and later, in 2003, Purple Patch, which shifted toward rock. She eventually moved into artist management, founding VDM Management in London.
Shelley Nash (born 13 January 1978) began singing professionally at age 11. Following Girls@Play's split, she joined Simons and White in the group Friday.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- London, England
- Genre
- Pop, dance-pop
- Years Active
- 2000–2001
- Current Members
- Vicky Dowdall / Lisa-Jayne White / Rita Simons / Lynsey Shaw / Shelley Nash
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Girls@Play released two singles: 'Airhead' on 12 February 2001 and a cover of 'Respectable' (originally by Mel and Kim) on 1 October 2001. 'Airhead' reached number 18 on the UK Singles Chart on 18 February 2001, while 'Respectable' reached number 29 on 7 October 2001. They supported Hear'Say and Steps on their arena tours in 2000 and 2001. The announcement of their disbanding was made on 18 November 2001.
After disbanding, members pursued various paths. Vicky Dowdall formed a pop duo with Camilla Romestrand, later moving into artist management. Shelley Nash, Rita Simons, and Lisa-Jay White formed the group Friday; Simons later joined Charli and then focused on acting, portraying Roxy Mitchell on EastEnders. Lynsey Shaw auditioned to replace Kym Marsh in Hear'Say in 2002, finishing second, and later ran a boutique record label in Los Angeles. Shelley Nash earned a BMus from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and focused on classical music.
Reader's Guide
Girls@Play occupy a brief footnote in early-2000s British pop history. Formed during the peak of the manufactured pop era, they were notable for their character-based gimmick—each member adopting a distinct profession in music videos—which drew comparisons to the Village People. Despite being produced by the renowned Stock & Aitken team, the group achieved only modest chart success with two singles, both reaching the UK top 40 but failing to break into the top 15. Their disbandment came just over a year after formation. The group's legacy is largely tied to the later fame of member Rita Simons, who became a well-known soap opera actress. Attempts at reunion in 2014 and 2016 did not materialize, though previously unreleased material appeared on Spotify in 2019. Girls@Play exemplify the transient nature of many early-2000s pop acts, where a distinctive concept could not sustain a long-term career.
Did You Know?
- Each member played a different character in music videos: cowgirl, executive, mechanic, New York City traffic cop, and pilot.
- They were described as the female version of the Village People due to their character gimmick.
- Rita Simons later portrayed Roxy Mitchell on the BBC soap opera EastEnders.
- In 2019, previously unreleased material from their unreleased album appeared on Spotify.
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