Cheeky Girls

In the familiar pattern of British acts that achieve sudden chart dominance with a lone hit before vanishing almost as fast as they surfaced, the Cheeky Girls—identical twins Gabriela and Monica Irimia—made their mark. Born on Halloween in Transylvania, the sisters devoted their teenage years to training in voice, ballet, and contemporary dance. Their ambitions shifted toward pop when they tried out for Popstars: The Rivals, performing an early take of what would become their signature track, “The Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum),” reportedly composed by their mother right before the audition. Although they failed to advance on the series, the pair soon tried—and likewise failed—to secure a spot on another British reality program, Model Behaviour. Their persistence eventually led to a deal with Multiply Records, the dance-pop imprint whose roster already included Sash!, Milky, and Phats & Small. The label issued “The Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum)” as a single toward the end of 2002; it entered the chart at number two amid releases from fellow Popstars: The Rivals alumni and stayed prominent through the remainder of the year and into the first months of 2003.