So Tell Me What You Want, Nicki Chapman
So Tell Me What You Want, Nicki Chapman
List: $31.99 | Sale: $22.40
Club: $15.99

So Tell Me What You Want
The must-read 2025 music memoir on life working with pop idols Take That, Prince, Amy Winehouse, the Spice Girls, David Bowie and more

Author: Nicki Chapman

Narrator: Nicki Chapman

Unabridged: 6 hr 34 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/29/2024

Synopsis

*One of Waterstones' Best Entertainment Books of the Year 2024*

1987. Armed with a Filofax, a brick of a mobile phone and steely determination, 20-year-old Nicki Chapman is walking through the seedy streets of Soho towards her first job in the music biz.

But how did Nicki go from being a looked-over assistant running promo packages over to BBC Radio 1 to a judge on Pop Idol with 15 million viewers tuning in for the nail-biting moment Will Young triumphed over Gareth Gates?

Everyone knows there were the kingmakers in the heady days of 90s British pop music, but this is a queen's side of the story; a down-to-earth, no-nonsense team player who fought to make it in an industry that was very much a man's world.

Empowering, entertaining and sprinkled with stardust, Nicki's inspirational behind-the-scenes story takes in the rocketing highs and heart-breaking lows of promoting, managing and touring with the Spice Girls, Amy Winehouse, David Bowie, Take That, Billie Piper, Phil Collins and S Club 7, all whilst confronting chauvinism and smashing through the career glass ceiling.

About Nicki Chapman

NICKI CHAPMAN is an accomplished TV Presenter, radio broadcaster and inspirational speaker, as well as a fully qualified personal and professional coach and volunteer, who used to be a plugger and management exec in the music industry before switching to being front of camera, first on Pop Stars and Pop Idol. She currently presents the nation's favourite TV show Escape To The Country, as well as its spin-off series' Celebrity Escape To The Country and I Escaped To The Country. As of January 2025, Nicki joined the Magic Radio presenting team and hosts the iconic Mellow Magic every Monday to Thursday. She has been a mainstay of the BBC presenting team at The RHS Chelsea Flower Show since 2006, broadcasting live, has appeared on numerous music, gardening, entertainment and lifestyle shows, and is a much sought after event host and speaker. Nicki has also been a regular presenter on BBC Radio 2, often sitting in for Zoe Ball, Claudia Winkleman and Michael Ball. She lives in London with her husband.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Emma on October 17, 2024

Listened to the audio version. Nicki had some great stories to tell, from where her career in the music industry started, working with groups like Take That and the Spice Girls as well as other big pop acts of that time and being a judge on Popstars and Pop Idol. For me it was a nostalgic look back......more

Goodreads review by Sara on March 10, 2025

What a nostalgia bomb! Trevor and Simon anyone? #swingyourpants......more

Goodreads review by Kirsty on January 19, 2025

Interesting if you’re in to 90’s pop.. I would have liked to have heard more about her time with take that......more

Goodreads review by Philip on February 19, 2025

Some really interesting stories. Would have liked more detail in places, especially around Hear'say. Some more personal reflections rather than "here's what happened". Overall a really good read though. Nicki comes across so friendly and lovely. Super supportive but also nuanced about the perils of......more

Goodreads review by Tara on April 20, 2025

Listened to this on Audible and loved it. Nostalgic trip back to the 90s and 00s, with interesting stories about the pop acts I loved as a child! Told in a humerous way by someone that clearly cared about the acts she worked with. Love that she stood up for herself and to powerful men along the way.......more

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