It was tipped as her big comeback as Cheryl took to the stage for the Girls Aloud reunion tour following a ten-year hiatus. And, following their final performance of the arena tour at the end of June, insiders say the 41-year-old mum of one – who shares seven-year-old son Bear with ex Liam Payne – has turned to superstar pals Kim and Khloé Kardashian for advice on her next move amid fears her return to the spotlight could be short-lived.
“Just before the tour kicked off, Cheryl had a mini panic about what she was going to do next,” an insider tells heat. “She knows this is probably the last chance to reinvent her career and wants to strike while everyone’s still talking about Girls Aloud again.”
Cue a quick call to Calabasas. “Kim and Khloé are Cheryl’s most high-profile friends – she’s so grateful she can turn to them for guidance,” says our source. “They’ve urged Cheryl to start building a ‘power brand’, as well as putting herself back on the showbiz scene, being far more present on social media, and also getting everyone talking about her love life again.”
That last bit of advice might be tough for the notoriously guarded Cheryl, but we’re told, “While Kim and Khloé respect that Cheryl likes to keep her private life low-key, they have reminded her that, if she really wants to regain her crown as the nation’s sweetheart, she’s going to have to put herself out there any way she can.”
The insider continues, “Cheryl’s in awe of what the girls have achieved and has been bouncing ideas off them, including opening up a chain of dance studios, a choreography app, and a ‘lifestyle brand with a twist’ to ensure it’s different from any others.
"She’s also hoping to fly out to LA with Bear and Khloé’s invited her to stay with them, so she might even meet with some of her business contacts for more advice.”
Cheryl first met Kim, 43, and Khloé, 40, at a Kanye West concert in Las Vegas in 2013, when she posed for selfies with the sisters, who described their new pal as a “special soul” in snaps shared with their millions of Instagram followers. The Geordie singer – who divorced her love-rat ex Ashley Cole in 2010 – was said to have particularly bonded with Khloé, who was going through similar heartbreak having recently separated from her now ex-husband Lamar Odom, following multiple cheating claims.
The stars have made a series of gushing statements about one another in the past – with Khloé hailing Chezza as “phenomenal”, adding, “I fell in love with her when I met her. She’s such an angel.”
The following year, Khloé dubbed Cheryl her “woman crush Wednesday” on Insta – captioning a snap of her pouting pal, “I miss you. Sometimes you meet people and you click instantly. Her beauty is more than skin deep… I love this lady’s spirit.”
Kim has also publicly praised Cheryl – particularly after Cheryl tweeted how beautiful she looked during her tough pregnancy with eldest daughter, North.
While the Kardashian brand has gone from strength to strength, Cheryl’s career has been a bit more turbulent. Her hotly-awaited 2018 musical comeback was a flop – shortly followed by the termination of her £4million deal with L’Oréal after nine years as their ambassador.
But after insiders revealed Cheryl’s hopes that the Girls Aloud tour would spark a solo comeback, heat revealed how the twice-divorced star had been enjoying a “flirtation” with a member of the tour crew. And pals say the Kardashians have also encouraged Cheryl to pursue this romance.
The source says, “They’ve told Cheryl not to let past hurt destroy her chance at happiness – and a new romance in the public eye would boost her profile.”
The insider adds, “Cheryl is incredibly grateful for the advice and is excited to spend some quality time with them later this summer – and perhaps even collaborate at some point.”