Cheryl Cole’s 3 Words video

The title track to Cheryl Cole’s solo album is one of the oddest single choices this year. Sombre, atmospheric, understated – 3 Words pretty much anti-pop. Cheryl and Will.i.am are singing about a love affair, but they sound utterly miserable about it. Hopelessly, wretchedly sad. Maybe they’ve just discovered they’re cousins?

When you add in the fact that this track is being released slap bang in the middle of the Christmas rush, 3 Words becomes the musical equivalent of the EastEnders’ Christmas Day special – a black ocean of woe at a time when everyone else is parping on about peace and goodwill and how lucky they are to have won the X Factor.

In other words, it’s absolutely terriffic. Cheryl is doing exactly what a proper pop star ought to – bucking the trend, upsetting the apple cart, shaving off Father Christmas’s beard, drinking all the sherry and falling asleep on top of the cat.

Top marks all around.

Cheryl Cole ft Will.i.am – 3 Words

Cheryl Cole and Will.i.am

I may be a die-hard Girls Aloud fan, but even I can’t muster the enthusiasm to watch their latest ITV2 reality show “The Passions Of Girls Aloud” – in which each member of the band sets off to try their hand at something they’ve always really wanted to do, except Nadine who only ever wanted to be on holiday in Los Angeles and that wouldn’t make a very good telly programme, would it?

However, last week’s show saw Cheryl head out to Los Angeles, where she learnt to have be a street dancer (required elements: street, legs). While there, she hooked up with the Black Eyed Peas’ musical motor, will.i.am, who invited her to show off her moves in the video for his song Heartbreaker.

Then, in a carefully choreographed career move moment of spontaneous creativity, Mr i.am let Cheryl re-record the song’s vocal track.

The song’s not out yet, but here is a clip of the Geordie lass showing the video to her bandmates. It seems like she did a pretty good job.

Will.i.am and Cheryl Cole – Heartbreaker

New music video roundup