N-Dubz sensation Tulisa Contostavlos had a rollercoaster ride to fame, hitting the big time with her cousin Dappy and pal Fazer. The trio smashed the music scene, bagging two double-platinum albums, 13 top 40 bangers and scooping three Urban Music Awards.
Despite their massive success, the band split in 2011, each chasing solo dreams. Post-N-Dubz, Tulisa’s solo career was a whirlwind of scandal, leading her to step back from the spotlight.
But she couldn’t stay away for long – over 10 years later, Tulisa and N-Dubz made a smashing comeback with a reunion tour that rocked the nation.
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Now, after years away from television, she’s back on primetime, entering the I’m A Celebrity jungle. She said of her difficult life that “you either fight or fall” when it comes to difficult times – and she well and truly put up a fight.
So, to celebrate The Female Boss and her return to screens, we take a look at what she’s had to overcome.
X Factor judge
(Image: ITV)
After waving goodbye to N-Dubz, Tulisa took a seat as a judge on the smash-hit talent show X Factor from 2011 to 2012. She hit the jackpot in her debut year, mentoring Little Mix to victory – they’ve since become X Factor’s most successful girl group ever.
But after two series, Tulisa called it quits on the judging gig. Taking to Twitter, she announced: “Just wanted to let you all know that I won’t be part of the X Factor panel this year,” adding: “I’ve had a great time on the show, but this year it’s time to do something different… I’d like to thank everyone on The X Factor for two amazing years.”
Sex tape leak
(Image: Getty Images)
Then came the sex tape scandal that shook her world.
Tulisa’s X Factor success was marred by a sex tape scandal when an explicit video she made with ex-boyfriend Justin Edwards was leaked online. At the time, Tulisa expressed her feelings of betrayal in a YouTube video, stating: “This is someone that I loved, that I trusted, that meant the world to me, that I feel deeply betrayed by,” and: “I am sure that everyone at home has had intimate moments with someone they cared about and never expected at any point that they would go and share it with the rest of the world.”
In a later documentary with BBC Three, Tulisa reflected on the incident, saying: “The first year was a very happy time. I think it was the tape where it all went wrong for me mentally.”
She explained how the leak made her feel like she had lost control and was being judged, even as a judge on the show.
Tulisa eventually settled her civil case with Edwards in July 2012.
Fake drug bust
(Image: PA)
Sadly, her troubles continued in 2013 when she was arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs as part of a sting operation by undercover journalist Mazher Mahmood, also known as the “Fake Sheikh”.
He alleged that Tulisa had agreed to sell him drugs while he was posing as a film producer, an accusation she vehemently denied. However, the trial fell apart a year later when Mazher Mahmood was accused of perjury during his testimony, leading the judge to halt proceedings.
Mahmood was subsequently sentenced to 15 months behind bars for tampering with evidence.
Assault conviction
(Image: Getty Images)
Despite the drug charges being dropped, Tulisa’s troubles didn’t end there.
The following year saw her back in court, this time facing accusations of assaulting a blogger at the 2013 V Festival. She was found guilty of attacking blogger Vas Morgan, who would go on to join TOWIE and be seen hanging around Rita Ora, and slapped with a £3,000 fine.
Although she appealed the conviction, it was upheld, with the judge commenting on her “lack of self-control” in the incident involving Morgan.
Britney Spears and will.i.am battle
(Image: Will I Am/Youtube)
Following her assault conviction, Tulisa retreated from the limelight.
In 2016, she attempted to revive her singing career with a cover of the ’90s hit Sweet Like Chocolate, but it failed to make waves in the charts, prompting her to take another break from music. During this hiatus, however, she remained somewhat in the public eye as she embarked on a legal battle against will.i. am and Britney Spears.
She claimed to have co-written their 2012 smash hit Scream and Shout and accused the duo of denying her a writing credit.
She emerged victorious in the 2018 case, earning an official credit on the record and also bagging 10% of the publishing rights and income.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
