Alesha Dixon

Like Matt Willis, Kenzie, and Kerry Katona before her, singer Alesha Dixon became a household name not through her dance-pop music, but thanks to an appearance on a reality show. One of seven children born to an English mother and Jamaican father, Dixon grew up in Welwyn Garden City and initially planned to become a P.E. teacher. After completing a diploma course, she was about to take a position at Loughborough University when she was approached on a train by a record producer, who asked if she could sing. Inspired, Dixon put her degree on hold and spent the next few years trying to set up various girl bands without much success. While working in a factory packing toothpaste to fund her musical ambitions, she eventually met Sabrina Washington at Dance Attic, a jazz/hip-hop dance academy in West London. The duo recorded a demo together, "Inspiration," before meeting Su-Elise Nash, who joined with Dixon and Washington to form the Mis-Teeq trio. Mis-Teeq signed to Telstar Records and, after fourth member Zena McNally joined, the group released its debut single, "Why," in 2001. Initially an R&B act, the group soon embraced the garage sound that dominated the charts in the early noughties to become one of the biggest girl groups in the U.K. All five singles from their platinum debut album, Lickin' on Both Sides, reached the Top Ten and the band was nominated for both Brit and MOBO awards. With her photogenic appearance and quickfire MC skills, Dixon became the unofficial frontwoman of the group and earned a reputation as one of Britain's most exciting pop stars. In 2004, Pharrell Williams personally asked her to be the female lead in N.E.R.D.'s "She Wants to Move" video after spotting her on the cover of Arena magazine. Second album Eye Candy spawned their biggest hit,...