Girlfriend (group)
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Founder | Jacqueline Cowell, Siobhánn Heidenreich, Melanie Alexander, Robyn Loau, Lorinda Noble |
| Defunct | 1996 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Music albums, singles, clothing line |
Girlfriend was an Australian girl group established in 1991. Their first album, Make It Come True (1992), included four singles that reached the top 50 on the ARIA, notably the chart-topping track "Take It from Me". Recognizable for their signature floral headwear, the group also ventured into fashion with their own clothing line. Following the departure of lead singer Robyn Loau, the ensemble rebranded themselves as GF4.
Formation and early development
Jacqueline Cowell, Siobhánn Heidenreich, and Melanie Alexander initially connected through dance classes before forming a pop act alongside Robyn Loau and Lorinda Noble. Singer-songwriter and jingle producer Noel MacDonald identified their promise and introduced them to Ross Wood, who had been striving to create a female pop group aimed at teenage audiences. After two years of pitching to record labels, they secured a contract with RCA Records Australia in 1991. Choreographer Kelley Abbey was brought on board to craft their stage presence. The group targeted success within Australian and Asian markets, with members—particularly Loau—engaging in Japanese language studies.
1992–1993: Commercial success with Make It Come True and It's Up to You
In April 1992, Girlfriend’s debut single "Take It from Me" reached number one on the ARIA charts. Follow-up singles "Girl's Life" (peaking at #15) and "Without You" (#18) supported their debut album Make It Come True, which climbed to number six in Australia.
In 1993, they launched Girl's Life, an album exclusive to Japan featuring re-recorded songs with Japanese lyrics. Later that year, the lead single "Heartbeat" was released ahead of their sophomore album It's Up to You. Both albums earned platinum and gold certifications respectively within Australia. Additionally, in November 1993, they released a Japan-only EP titled Magic, containing four tracks.
1994–1996: GF4
Following tours across Europe and Japan in 1994, Robyn Loau departed to pursue a solo path, achieving moderate success with her single "Sick with Love," which reached number 21 on the ARIA charts, and releasing the album Malaria.
The remaining quartet adopted the name GF4. Their debut single under this name, a rendition of The Grass Roots' "Sooner or Later," peaked at No. 11 on the ARIA singles chart. In 1995, Jacqui Cowell exited the group and was succeeded by Belinda Chapple—who would later join Bardot—appearing in GF4’s second single video "Need Love (To Make the Sex Right)," a cover of Olivia Newton-John's "I Need Love." This single narrowly failed to enter the ARIA Top 100, resulting in their Los Angeles-recorded debut album being shelved. GF4 disbanded in 1996 without releasing any further material.
Later appearances
On 13 May 2007, all five original members reunited on Channel 7’s Where Are They Now?, reflecting on their career and performing an a cappella rendition of "Take It from Me."
A compilation titled Essential Girlfriend was slated for release in November 2010 but has yet to be issued.
In November 2010, Melanie Alexander collaborated with Australian DJ Stonedog on "Falling for the Dance Floor," featured on the compilation album Club Anthems Asia released by Hong Kong-based label Volume Up Records.
In May 2017, Robyn Loau announced that the original lineup was regrouping to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their number-one single "Take It from Me."
Members
- Robyn Loau (1991–1994)
- Melanie Alexander (1991–1996)
- Lorinda (Rindy) Noble (1991–1996)
- Siobhánn Heidenreich (1991–1996)
- Jacqueline (Jacqui) Cowell (1991–1995)
- Belinda Chapple (1995–1996)
Studio albums
| Album Title | Album Information | Highest Chart Positions | Certifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | |||
| Make It Come True |
|
6 |
|
| It's Up to You |
|
29 |
|
Compilations
| Compilation Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Girl's Life |
|
Extended plays
| EP Title | EP Information |
|---|---|
| Magic |
|
Singles
| Year | Single Title | Peak Chart Positions | Certifications | Associated Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | NZ | UK | ||||
| 1992 | "Take It from Me" | 1 | 44 | 47 |
|
Make It Come True |
| "Girl's Life" | 15 | — | 68 | |||
| "Without You" | 18 | — | — | |||
| "Bad Attitude" | 28 | — | — | |||
| 1993 | "Love's on My Mind" | 65 | — | — | ||
| "Heartbeat" | 36 | — | — | It's Up to You | ||
| "Wishing on the Same Star" | 44 | — | — | |||
| 1994 | "Sooner or Later" (as GF4) | 11 | — | — | Non-album single | |
| 1995 | "Need Love (To Make the Sex Right)" (as GF4) | 101 | — | — | ||
ARIA Music Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association annually presents the ARIA Music Awards, where Girlfriend received three nominations.
|- | rowspan="2"| 1993 | Make It Come True | Best New Talent | |- | "Take It from Me" | Highest Selling Single | |- | 1994 | It's Up to You | Best Pop Release | |-