Natasha Bedingfield, renowned for her 2004 hit “Unwritten,” has recently shared insights into her rise to fame in the early 2000s and the challenges that came with increased media attention. The song, which gained renewed popularity after being featured in the rom-com Anyone But You starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, brought Bedingfield back into the spotlight. In an interview with The Telegraph, she opened up about the impacts of stardom on her and her family.
“The paparazzi were always kind to me but they were very mean about my brother, just because they couldn’t have two siblings doing well at the same time,” Bedingfield explained. Her brother, Daniel Bedingfield, also achieved success with his hit song “If You’re Not The One.”
Natasha reflected on how this treatment affected her perception of fame. “It’s interesting what that does to a culture because even if they’re not mean to you, there’s a threat that they could be and you end up living in that fear,” she continued. “That culture keeps you well-behaved – in the same way that religion does. There’s a threat of going to hell or someone turning on you and hating you.”
Despite these pressures, Natasha has learned to manage the criticism over time. “My philosophy is that I don’t take anything too seriously,” she shared. “If people say great things or they say bad things, I just try to take it with a pinch of salt because things can change. More than ever we’re all experiencing that instant feedback now — we’re all famous aren’t we?”
Her brother, Daniel Bedingfield, also spoke about the harsh realities of fame earlier this year in an interview with the Evening Standard. “It’s really necessary and worthy of pursuit, it just takes a heavy toll,” he said in April. “It’s not the fame that I was pursuing, it’s singing to that many people, having that many people in the concerts, it’s connecting to the crowd and that is worth everything.”
Natasha Bedingfield’s journey through fame, marked by the highs of critical acclaim and the lows of media scrutiny, highlights the complex nature of being in the public eye. Her grounded approach to handling both praise and criticism serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining perspective amidst the fluctuating tides of public opinion.