Sexiest Woman In The World?: Tulisa Contostavlos
Having taken the coveted X Factor judging position over from Cheryl Cole last year, it seems that Tulisa Contostavlos has, in recent months, also taken Cheryl's crown as The Nations Sweetheart.
2012 has been a rollercoaster year for Tulisa - after breaking away from N-Dubz, the hip-hop group that launched her career, Tulisa has become a star in her own right with a newly launched solo career and number 1 single under her belt, a successful run as a judge on The X Factor with her girl group Little Mix winning the show last year, and a popular perfume line.
Tulisa even managed to clinch the No 1 spot in FHM's 100 Sexiest Women In The World 2012 list - with Cheryl only making it to number 2.
Rival?: Cheryl Cole
However, there have also been many lows for the star - with a sex video released by her ex boyfriend causing a great deal of embarrassment, and further controversy caused by her fall out with cousin and ex-bandmate Dappy being splashed all over her Twitter feed.
Add this to the recent drama surrounding the filming of her new music video - where Tulisa received negative press for allegedly making known gestures in support of violent local gang - and the backlash she endured after a drunken night out with fellow Woman Of The Moment Rita Ora during which the star posted a series of foul-mouthed tweets causing fans to "unfollow" her in their droves - and it makes for an uncomfortable picture.
Tulisa: Nations Sweetheart?
Is this rough & ready star really the kind of role model that Britain needs right now?
N-Dubz arguably achieved just as much press attention for their negative & thuggish behaviour as they did for their chart success, and it seems that this theme is following Tulisa into her solo career...
Tulisa with her N-Dubz bandmates in the early days
Of course, former golden girl Cheryl Cole was no angel either and had seen her fair share of negative press - particularly during the early Girls Aloud days and "THAT" now infamous court case following a nightclub brawl with a toilet attendant and the allegations of racism that followed - but somehow Cole seems demure and graceful in the shadow of the much more brash and "street" Contostavlos.
Personally, while I liked Tulisa's single and I didn't mind her as an X Factor Judge, I prefer Cheryl as both as a singer and a TV personality - I think she has a better sense of style, and I certainly think she is a far better performer than Tulisa (I found Tulisa's BGT performance really cringey to watch!)
Having said that, I remember really liking Tulisa back in the early days of N-Dubz and thinking she had a great voice and a lot of star quality - I think perhaps her quest for mainstream stardom means she has lost a little of her raw edge, which I don't think is a good thing for her. The glamour puss, elegant & demure look her stylists are now going for don't seem to be meshing well with her personality - it seems very much a case of "You can take the girl out of N-Dubz, but you can't take N-Dubz out of the girl" to me!! - I don't think there would be so much of a focus on her brash behaviour and lifestyle if her image had stayed more the way it originally was.
So what are your thoughts? Who do you think is the true nations sweetheart?
Is Tulisa REALLY the sexiest woman in the world!?
Tulisa leaving court today.
And - the most important question of course - do you like her "back to blonde" looks seen after her court appearance today, or do you prefer her dark haired look?!
Let me know your thoughts! :)
