She mixes with stars like Michael Jackson and Kylie Minogue, but Nikki Webster is still just a girl next door.
Nikki Webster’s parents often wake up in the middle of the night at their modest Sydney home and pinch themselves. Mark, an electrician, and Tina, who runs two childcare centres, are still struggling to come to terms with their talented little girl’s extraordinary rise to fame.
In less than a year, flame haired Nikki, 14, has gone from being a musically gifted Aussie teenager to an international star. ‘We’ll say: “Is this really happening? Is this situation real?”‘ admits Tina, 43. ‘Nikki’s father and I aren’t musical at all and we’ve no idea where our daughter gets her talent. If I start singing, the kids tell me to shut up!’
Few Australians will forget Nikki soaring above the Olympic arena last year at the Sydney 2000 opening ceremony – in front of four billion TV viewers. From that glorious moment on, Nikki’s life changed forever. ‘Yes, she’s become very well known, but Nikki hasn’t changed,’ insists Tina. ‘She’s still the same girl she was a year ago.
‘We got a letter recently from an elderly couple who’ve known Nikki for a long time, crediting her on her modesty. They said: “Nikki, you are just the same, don’t ever change!” That meant a lot to us.
‘Anyway, Nikki’s not got a lot of chance to be a big head, I wouldn’t allow that! She performs because she wants to and there’s a certain amount of responsibility involved. We’ve always told Nikki and our son Scott, 16, that we don’t care what they do with their lives, as long as they work hard and enjoy themselves.’
Now Nikki’s launching a global assault with a slick new pop career. The tiny dynamo has also unleashed a sexy new look to go with her catchy debut song Strawberry Kisses. The accompanying video is fashioned in a Spice Girls mould. Nikki dances aboard a spaceship and sings to the object of her affections, a cosmic cartoon character called DJ.
Continue reading Nikki’s rise and rise
