Cheryl isn’t bothered about her single flopping, but now she’s facing backlash about her latest hair-brained scheme
She’s not bothered by yet more criticism
Her comeback hasn’t exactly had the response she was looking for, and last week, Cheryl was on the receiving end of yet another backlash when it was announced she was releasing a range of Easilocks hair extensions. Despite having a contract with L’oréal, the 35-year-old singer has signed a huge deal with the company – which also works with Charlotte Crosby and counts reality star Chantelle Houghton as a fan – to launch her own range of fake hair. And, we’re told, it could jeopardise her contract with the beauty firm. She’s also been accused of selling out, as Easilocks doesn’t have the same reputation as L’oréal.
“She’s clearly just doing this for the money, it’s such a tacky move – L’oréal must be furious,” one fan wrote, while another asked, “Is this what you’ve been reduced to? Promoting the same brand as reality stars. It’s sheer greed.”
However, we’re told Cheryl isn’t concerned about the criticism as she’s pleased to work with a company that allows her to have more control over everything and can help build her brand. “The plan for her comeback was to do a ‘Kardashians’ and capitalise on it in order to make her more money. She thinks it’s a good platform to be able to launch her own hair, beauty and make-up ranges. She wants to start her very own empire,” an insider tells heat. “The aim is to have everything she does to feed into making her money – and not a huge company. Cheryl sees this as the opportunity to give women what they really want. She’s had a lot of offers over the last few years, with similar brands as Easilocks approaching her to front a campaign. But her team have been really smart – they have negotiated an equity deal – the wording is very much that Cheryl is releasing her ‘own range’ of hair extensions with them, so she shares in all the profits from this.”
Coming from a working-class Geordie background, Cheryl has always been rightly proud of everything she’s achieved – and now she’s a single mum to 20-month-old son Bear, we’re told she feels it’s even more important to her to keep earning her own money. While ex-boyfriend Liam Payne is providing financial support for Bear, the insider says she wants to be independent and give Bear the life she could’ve only dreamed of when she was younger, adding that she’s shrugged off the backlash, putting it down to people being “snobby”.
“Cheryl knows this is her market and thinks the extensions range will be hugely popular with her fans in Liverpool, Essex and, of course, Newcastle,” says the source. “She knows she’ll have the last laugh, and this is just the start of what she hopes will be something bigger. She’s already thinking about retiring from music and this could be her way out – a businesswoman who makes money while she sleeps. It’s all part of her big plan.” n Kate Randall