The ascent and abrupt decline of Girl Thing stood as a pointed reflection of conditions in the British pop industry during the early years of the new millennium. Formed by Simon Fuller—former manager of the Spice Girls and creator of S Club 7—the five members were Michelle Claire Barber (b. 5 January 1979, Blackpool, Lancashire, England), Linsay Sarah Martin (b. 2 April 1981, Manchester, England), Anika Bostelaar (b. 5 June 1981, Etten-Leur, Netherlands), Nicola Jane Stuart (b. 4 July 1979, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England), and Jodi Albert (b. 22 July 1983, Chingford, London, England). Fuller assembled the lineup after placing an advertisement in The Stage. Although many within the music business voiced reservations, BMG Records signed the act to a recording deal in late 1999. Their debut single, “Last One Standing,” reached the UK Top 10 the next year, yet the modest showing of “Girls On Top” together with the self-titled album exposed the group to the volatility of the market. While they cultivated a sizable following in Australia and the Far East, plans for a third UK single were abandoned when the track “Pure And Simple”—originally recorded for Girl Thing—was reassigned to the television-formed act Hear’Say. BMG terminated the contract in March 2001, only days before Hear’Say set multiple UK sales records by entering the singles chart at number 1.
