User blog:BeccaSchmecca/Showgirls, Inc. aftermath: Natalie Allard

Ottawa-based girl group Showgirls, Inc. - who were also participants of Torontokyo 2004 - had split in 2008 shortly after their L'amour nous guidera Tour ended, while learning that their contract with Proud Records expired. From there onward, each individual member has started doing solo projects.

Ever since I started this "aftermath" thing, I forced myself to pull a Sherlock Holmes and find out what each member of Showgirls, Inc. have been up to after their 2008 split. First, I started off with Judith Barthélemy. Then I did Agnes Boisson. And now I'm gonna look back to what Natalie Allard was up to recently.

2009: Ontario Local Community Center Spectacular
In July 2009, Allard was invited to sing at 7th annual Ontario Local Community Center Spectacular (OLCCS), an annual multi-genre concert held at the TD Place Stadium on a Saturday night in either late July or early August, featuring the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra (conducted by an unknown person who is at least 21), and over 50 singers of all genres in and near Ottawa and other cities in Ontario, who are at least 10 years old.

2011-12: I'm Natalie and breakthrough
In February 2011, Allard signed to Lightning Bolt Recordings. On September 15 of that year, she released her debut single "As Life Is", which peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Allard's first top-ten hit on the chart. The song certified platinum in Canada and Belgium. To date, "As Life Is" has sold over two million copies in Canada.

Allard released her debut studio album I'm Natalie on November 10, 2011. The album debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200. To date, it has sold over a million copies in Canada, and was certified platinum by CIRPA. "Jamboree Gone Wrong" was released as the second single from the album in February 2012. In Canada, the song peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming Allard's best-charting single to date.

The album's third single, "Bad People", was released in May 2012. It peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Allard her fourth top 20 hit on the chart. It also charted in the top 20 in Japan, Switzerland, and the United States. In New Zealand, the song reached number 4 and was certified gold by the RIANZ. In early 2013, Allard co-headlined the Marcel & Natalie LIVE Tour with Marcel Kazanjian in North America and Asia. Click here for more details.

2014-15: Floating on Air
Allard's second studio album, Floating on Air was released in Canada on September 11, 2014. The album's title track was released as the lead single on July 3 of that year, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song peaked in the top five in Japan, Australia, and the United States. In Canada, Floating on Air debuted at number 8 on the Billboard 200, peaking higher than her debut album's position of number 10.

In support of the album, Allard opened for Nicola Hobbinson on the Oceanic and European legs of the N-Hob Tour, starting on November 7, 2014.

"#UncleTom" was released as the second single from Floating on Air on October 30, 2014. The song topped the Canadian Hot 100, becoming Allard's first number one on the chart and peaked in the top 15 in Belgium. During this time, she recorded the duet, "For What the World Has Missed", with Torontokyo 2003 winner Ernie Auclair for his fourth studio album, Trouble. The song reached the top 10 in France and China and was certified platinum by CIRPA. The third single from Floating on Air, "Undeniable", was released in Hong Kong on January 8, 2015.

In February 2015, Allard embarked on her first headlining tour across the globe, the Floating on Air Tour.