Bombshell reunion: Bardot is back

They were a household name in the early 2000s after becoming Australia’s pop girl group Bardot and skyrocketing a career for reality TV show host Sophie Monk. Now, two members have revealed they’re reuniting after they disbanded in 2002. Here’s why.

When Stellar reunited three of the original members of Bardot (sans Sophie Monk and Sally Polihronas) for a story in April last year to mark the 20th anniversary of the pop group’s hit single ‘Poison’, the question had to be asked: will there ever be a reunion?

Now, an answer of sorts has been given: 18 months on, Belinda Chapple and Katie Underwood are set to release a new single, ‘Broken Hearted’, recorded as the duo Ka’Bel.

It was, Chapple explains, the happy result of a mutual friend convincing them, once and for all, to finally get back into the studio.

Ex-Bardot member Belinda Chapple. (Picture: Supplied)

Ex-Bardot member Katie Underwood. (Picture: Supplied)

“When we spoke to you last year, we were all kind of thinking about doing this reunion, which never really happened for many different reasons,” the 46-year-old tells Stellar On Friday.

“But our friend Joe, who is probably the biggest Bardot fan in the world, was really motivated.”

Adds Underwood, “He started by sending everybody emails, and then various people along the way just kind of dropped off of their own volition. But I just kept saying yes, and so did Belinda.

“One of the wonderful things about getting older is that as each year passes, you care a little less about what anyone else thinks about what you’re doing. So now to do this? It really is the icing on the cake. We both love the same style of music and I think our voices blend really well.”

Australian female girl band Bardot, circa 2000. (Picture: Tim Roney/Getty Images)

While Underwood has continued to record and release music for various different projects since her time in the pop group, this was the first time Chapple had laid down a track since Bardot disbanded in 2002.

“My world now is interior design,” Chapple explains.

“So when I got into the cab on the way to the recording studio, I was just a little bit frightened. I was like, what am I doing? But once I started singing, I remembered how much I love doing this.”

For Underwood, motivation has also come from her twin daughters Zoe and Charlotte, who at 10 are old enough to know Mum was once famous.

“They’ve been asking me to get famous again for the cred,” the 45-year-old says, laughing.

“It’s not that easy, but I’m hoping I become famous and get some new fans in the 10-11-year age group so that my kids get some, like, social currency.”

‘Broken Hearted’ is set to be released on October 15, and while the Ka’Bel duo won’t get to celebrate together given that Chapple is based in Sydney and Underwood is in Melbourne, they have been enjoying the response after they announced the project on social media last week.

Find more exclusives in this Sunday’s Stellar.

“The reaction has been over and above what we could have hoped for,” Underwood says. And Chapple agrees.

“Everyone’s so supportive, which is just beautiful.”

When asked if they’ve received support from any other former members, Underwood says, “I haven’t heard from anyone, but, look, I assume they’re busy doing their thing. Whether they reach out and say, ‘Hey, congrats on the new song,’ we’ll see. Once it’s out, I have a feeling they will. But if they don’t, I’m not going to take that personally.”

Chapple says that feeling also goes both ways.

“[The band was together] 20 years ago and we’re all from such different backgrounds. It’s kind of like school. When it’s over, sometimes you stay friends and have that connection, and sometimes you don’t. Katie and I, we’re both Capricorns – and we’ve always shared a stupid sense of humour.”

Originally published as Bombshell reunion: Bardot is back