Natasha Bedingfield is a British singer and songwriter who rose to fame in the early 2000s with her catchy pop songs and soulful voice. She has released four studio albums, sold over 10 million records worldwide, and received several nominations and awards, including a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. But who is Natasha Bedingfield, and what is her story? Here are some interesting facts about her life and career.
The Early Years
Natasha Bedingfield was born on November 26, 1981, in Haywards Heath, Sussex, England. She grew up in a musical family, as her mother was a violinist and her father played the organ. She also has two brothers, Daniel and Joshua, and a sister, Nikola, who are also singers and songwriters. She learned to play the piano, guitar, and violin at a young age, and wrote her first song when she was 14. She also developed a passion for skiing, and spent many winters in the French Alps, where her mother ran a ski chalet company.
Bedingfield attended a year at the University of Greenwich, where she studied psychology, but left to focus on her music career. She also composed and recorded songs for the Hillsong London Church, a Christian megachurch, throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. She is the daughter of two New Zealand-born social workers, John and Molly Bedingfield, who were married in 1978.
The Breakthrough
Bedingfield signed a record deal with Phonogenic Records, a label owned by Sony Music, in 2003. She released her debut album, Unwritten, in 2004, which contained primarily up-tempo pop songs and was influenced by R&B music. The album was a huge success, selling over 2.3 million copies worldwide, and reaching number one in the UK and number six in the US. It also spawned four hit singles: “Single”, “These Words”, which topped the UK chart, “Unwritten”, which became her signature song and the theme song of the MTV reality show The Hills, and “I Bruise Easily”, a ballad about vulnerability.
Bedingfield received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for “Unwritten”, and was nominated for Best British Female Artist at the Brit Awards in 2005 and 2006. She also won two MTV Video Music Awards, two Ivor Novello Awards, and an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the University of Bristol in 2016.
The Follow-Up
Bedingfield released her second album, N.B., in 2007, which showcased a more mature and diverse sound, incorporating elements of rock, folk, and reggae. The album produced two UK top 10 singles: “I Wanna Have Your Babies”, a humorous song about biological clocks, and “Soulmate”, a heartfelt ballad about finding true love. The album was not released in North America, but six tracks from it were included with seven new ones and released in 2008 under the name Pocketful of Sunshine. The album featured the singles “Love Like This”, a collaboration with rapper Sean Kingston, and “Pocketful of Sunshine”, a catchy anthem that was featured in the movie The Ugly Truth.
Bedingfield released her third album, Strip Me, in 2010, which was more introspective and personal, reflecting on her life and relationships. The album spawned the single “Strip Me”, which charted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 91. She also collaborated with other artists, such as Nicki Minaj, Bruno Mars, Rascal Flatts, and Simple Plan, on various songs and projects.
The Recent Years
Bedingfield took a hiatus from music after 2010, and focused on her personal life and other interests. She married Matthew Robinson, a businessman and documentary filmmaker from California, in Malibu, California, on March 21, 2009. They have two sons, Solomon, born in 2017, and Neptune, born in 2020. They live in a farmhouse in Ibiza, Spain, where they grow their own vegetables and fruits.
Bedingfield returned to music in 2017, with the release of her fourth album, The Afterlove, which was co-written and co-produced by Ed Sheeran, Ryan Tedder, and other pop stars. The album featured the singles “Let Go”, “Hey Boy”, and “Unwritten 2.0”, a reworked version of her classic song. She also released her fifth album, Who We Used to Be, in 2023, which was inspired by her motherhood and nostalgia. The album included the singles “Roller Skate”, “Kick It”, and “Together in This”, which was the theme song of the animated movie Jungle Beat: The Movie.
Bedingfield is also a philanthropist and a supporter of various causes. She is an ambassador for Médecins Sans Frontières, a humanitarian organization that provides medical aid in conflict zones. She is also involved with the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the British Red Cross, and the Prince’s Trust. She has donated money and items to various charities, such as Oxfam, War Child, and Children in Need.
Natasha Bedingfield is a pop star with a soulful voice, who has delivered many memorable songs and albums over the years. She is also a human being, who has faced challenges and overcome them. She is an inspiration to many, and a joy to listen to.
