Scandal’us: Where are they now?

BACK in 2001, they were the hottest group in Australia. Then, a year later, they broke up. What have they been doing since? We tracked them down.

Remember Scandal'us?

BACK in 2001 they were one of the biggest music acts in Australia ... seriously.

After winning the second season of Channel Seven’s Popstars, the five members that made up Scandal’us pulled huge crowds as they performed around the country.

Jason Bird, Daniela Scala, Tamara Jaber, Simon Ditcham and Anna Belperio even won an ARIA award for their debut single Me, Myself & I.

But their time in the spotlight faded quickly, and by the end of 2002 the group had split up.

So what’s the real story of Scandal’us’ demise and where are they now?

TAMARA JABER:

Now. @tamarajaber

Back then.

Out of the five, Jaber is the one who has managed to stay in the public eye the most since the Popstars days.

Now based in LA, the 32-year-old has nothing but fond memories of her time as part of Scandal’us.

“It was one of the best times of my life,” she said to news.com.au.

In fact she enjoyed it so much that she wishes they didn’t break up in 2002, but said it was really the only option they had.

“Our record deal was based on the TV show and when the show ended there was really no structure, manager or funds to let us continue,” she said.

Post-Popstars, Jaber launched a solo career and her single Ooh Ahh reached number 13 on the ARIA charts.

Then of course there was her highly publicised marriage (and split) from Kyle Sandilands, who she says she still emails from time to time.

“I want him to do well and be happy,” she said.

“Every time I’m in Sydney I turn the radio on and listen to him and laugh. He’s a hilarious person.”

In 2010 Jaber again graced our TV screens when she was the runner-up on Channel Seven’s Dancing With the Stars and more TV appearances are just some of many projects she’s working on now.

“I’m part of an amazing 12-piece big band called Karizma. We do gigs all around the world.

“I’m also working on a couple of US TV shows, one on the E! network and one on Bravo. And I’m working with a couple of clothing companies as well.

“My career reflects my driven nature. Music is not all of me. I’m more of a personality and a brand and I’m constantly doing a bunch of things.”

You can follow Tamara on Instagram here.

DANIELA SCALA:

Scala now.

Scala then.

“It went so quickly, it flashed in front of my eyes,” said Scala to news.com.au about her time in Scandal’us, which broke up with just one album to its name.

“Tamara (Jaber) wanted to go solo, that was the whole reason (the band broke up).”

Scala stayed in Sydney for two years playing a variety of gigs before returning to her home town of Adelaide.

“I’ve just been teaching and gigging ever since really,” she said.

Rumour has it that Scala could possibly grace our screens as a contestant on this year’s The Voice, but she admits her main focus right now is recording some of her original songs ... and there’s plenty.

“I’m workshopping through 300 to 400 song ideas I have,” she said.

But does she still chat to any of the others?

“I’m really close to the boys,” she said.

“I know Anna’s (Belperio) in Adelaide ... but she’s not the kind of person I hang out with. I don’t speak to her.”

And as for Kyle Sandilands’ ex-wife Tamara Jaber? Well, they haven’t spoken in years.

“I don’t try to keep track of people that I’m not interested in,” said Scala.

You can check out some of her original songs here.

JASON BIRD:

Performing recently at the Subiaco Hotel.

At the 2001 Aria Awards.

“I don’t regret it but was it all peaches and cream? Absolutely not,” said Bird to news.com.au about his Popstars experience.

The singer wouldn’t say exactly why the group split, but felt Scandal’us definitely had more to give.

“We were certainly working really well together and we had a lot of plans for the future, but it was out of our hands. We didn’t really have many options apart from that one (quitting).

“When things went bad it was really difficult for me because almost overnight it just stopped, very quickly.”

Post-Scandal’us, Bird continued writing music, playing gigs and he has had a lot of success as a choreographer.

“I was a resident choreographer on So You Think You Can Dance a couple of years back which was a lot of fun,” said the Perth-based performer.

But his main passion is community work which he’s been involved with since the group broke up in 2002.

“I work for a music organisation, a non-profit, called Catch Music and I run the program that provides music opportunities for people who are marginalised in their communities,” Bird said.

ANNA BELPERIO:

Anna with her family last year.

Back in 2001.

Scandal’us is just one big blur in Belperio’s mind.

“It’s really hard to remember a lot of it,” she said, “We were in such a bubble at the time”.

Her memory is also a little hazy as to why they split up, but she doesn’t think Tamara Jaber’s desire to go solo was the main cause.

“I don’t actually know what the exact reason was,” she said.

“I recall it was due to management issues and things like that because we were bound so tightly in contracts that forbid us doing this and that.”

Post-Popstars, Belperio did a variety of jobs in Adelaide ranging from relief teaching to gigging at five-star hotels.

“My main focus right now is my four-year-old little girl,” she said.

“Apart from looking after her, I help manage a successful family building company ... and also sing as part of a duo called Pearl and we basically do weddings every weekend.”

She has a constant reminder of her Scandal’us days in her home, with her ARIA proudly on display.

But unfortunately there isn’t a constant reminder in her bank account.

“Put it this way, I earnt more money relief teaching than I did in Scandal’us,” she said laughing.

Oh and if you’re wondering, she still remembers all the words to Me, Myself & I.

“It’s burnt into my mind,” she said.

SIMON DITCHAM:

Simon now.

Simon then.

“The fame is the real reason I went into Scandal’us to begin with,” admits a surprisingly honest Ditcham from his home in Tasmania.

“I didn’t want to be a singer or a dancer but I thought it was the vehicle that I could use to get famous and successful enough to then communicate a message that I felt needed to be communicated.”

So what’s that message?

“To explain the greatness of humanity and the path that we are on. We can actually prosper and survive together in abundance and happiness. We don’t have to go down this other path of doom and gloom.”

Ditcham’s journey since Popstars has mostly been a spiritual one. Two years ago he considered himself a “staunch atheist,” but then something changed.

“I started to realise that the bible is telling us the truth about ourselves and our journey from slavery to here.

“God just wants us to live happily and love each other as he commanded, which is the biggest concern because we obviously don’t apply that ... we don’t live it.”

Originally published as Scandal’us: Where are they now?