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Ricki-Lee Dawn Coulter (born 10 November 1985) is an Australian singer-songwriter, television and radio presenter. She was born in
Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
, New Zealand, raised in
Gold Coast, Queensland The Gold Coast, also known by its initials, GC, is a coastal city and region in the state of Queensland, Australia, located approximately south-southeast of the centre of the list of Australian capital cities, state capital, Brisbane. It is ...
, and began performing at age 15. Coulter rose to fame in 2004 on the second season of ''
Australian Idol ''Australian Idol'' is an Australian singing competition, which began its first season in July 2003 and ended its initial run in November 2009. As part of the ''Idol'' franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program '' Pop Id ...
'' and placed seventh in the competition. She subsequently signed with Australian independent label Shock Records, and released her self-titled debut album '' Ricki-Lee'' (2005), which produced the top-ten hits "
Hell No! "Hell No!" is the debut single of Australian singer Ricki-Lee Coulter. It was released on 13 June 2005 as the lead single from her self-titled debut album, '' Ricki-Lee'' (2005). "Hell No!" debuted and peaked at number five on the ARIA Singles ...
" and "
Sunshine Sunlight is the portion of the electromagnetic radiation which is emitted by the Sun (i.e. solar radiation) and received by the Earth, in particular the visible light perceptible to the human eye as well as invisible infrared (typically per ...
". Both singles were certified gold by the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival Records (Australia), Festival, Sony Music ...
(ARIA). The following year, Coulter became a member of the Australian pop girl group
Young Divas Young Divas was an Australian pop girl group formed in 2006 by Sony BMG Australia, initially for a one-off single and national tour to promote all members as solo artists. The original line-up consisted of former '' Australian Idol'' contest ...
, before leaving in early 2007 to resume her solo career. Coulter's second album '' Brand New Day'' (2007) was certified gold and included the top-ten singles "
Love Is All Around "Love Is All Around" is a song recorded by English rock band the Troggs. Released as a single in October 1967, it was a top-ten hit in both the UK and US. "Love Is All Around" has been covered by numerous artists, including R.E.M., with w ...
", " Can't Sing a Different Song" and " Can't Touch It", the latter was certified platinum. Coulter's first compilation album '' The Singles'' was released in 2008, featuring the top-twenty single " Wiggle It". In 2011, she ended her contract with Shock Records and signed with major label
EMI Music Australia EMI Recorded Music Australia Pty Ltd (called EMI Music Australia until May 2013) is an Australian imprint of Universal Music Australia, formerly a subsidiary label of EMI Recordings Ltd and, between 1979 and 1996, that of Thorn EMI. It is Austr ...
. Coulter's third album '' Fear & Freedom'' (2012) debuted at number seven on the
ARIA Albums Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
and became her first top-ten album. It included the top-twenty hits "
Raining Diamonds "Raining Diamonds" is a song by Australian recording artist Ricki-Lee Coulter. It was written by Coulter, Billy Mann and Boyblue, who also produced the song. "Raining Diamonds" was released Music download, digitally on 18 October 2011 as the lea ...
" and " Do It Like That", which were both certified platinum. "Do It Like That" was also a top-ten hit on the ''Billboard'' Japan Hot 100 chart and earned Coulter her first ARIA Music Award nomination for Song of the Year. Her fourth album '' Dance in the Rain'' (2014) became her second top-fifteen album, and featured the top-forty single " All We Need Is Love". Coulter independently released her fifth album ''On My Own'' in 2024, which would become her highest peaking album on the ARIA Albums Chart to date. Coulter has branched out from recording music, pursuing careers in television and radio. She returned to ''Australian Idol'' for seasons six and seven, as a presenter and reporter alongside
James Mathison James Mathison (born 14 January 1978) is an Australian television presenter and radio personality, known for his distinctive interviewing style. Mathison gained recognition for his work as a host, interviewer, and journalist, covering a divers ...
and
Andrew Günsberg Andrew is the English form of the given name, common in many countries. The word is derived from the , ''Andreas'', itself related to ''aner/andros'', "man" (as opposed to "woman"), thus meaning "manly" and, as consequence, "brave", "strong", "c ...
. The role earned her a nomination at the 2009
Logie Awards The TV Week Logie Awards (known colloquially as The Logies) is an annual ceremony celebrating and honouring the best shows and stars in Australian television, sponsored and organised by the magazine ''TV Week''. The event is telecast live and ...
for Most Popular New Female Talent. She was also a full-time radio presenter for Sydney's Nova 96.9 breakfast show in 2010, alongside Merrick Watts and Scott Dooley. In 2019, Coulter became the host of ''
Australia's Got Talent ''Australia's Got Talent'' is an Australian reality television talent show. The show is based on the '' Got Talent'' series format that originated in the United Kingdom with Simon Cowell. The first six seasons aired on the Seven Network, from ...
''. Coulter was announced in September 2022 as the co-host of the 2023
Seven Network Seven Network (stylised 7Network, and commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is an Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, ...
reboot of ''Australian Idol'' alongside
Scott Tweedie Scott Tweedie (born 29 January 1988) is an Australian television and radio host, presenter and producer. He previously was in the United States hosting on the E! Network. Tweedie was a network host for Network 10, hosting the hit music televisi ...
.


Early life

Ricki-Lee Dawn Coulter was born on 10 November 1985 in
Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
, New Zealand. Her name is a nod to singer Rickie Lee Jones. Her mother Loretta Sheerin, born in Tonga, was a model. Coulter's parents separated before she was born, and she was raised by her mother. Coulter and her mother relocated to
Gold Coast, Queensland The Gold Coast, also known by its initials, GC, is a coastal city and region in the state of Queensland, Australia, located approximately south-southeast of the centre of the list of Australian capital cities, state capital, Brisbane. It is ...
when she was three months old. Coulter's father figure at the time was her grandfather Rocky. Coulter's mother gave her every chance to visit her biological father in New Zealand when she was a child. "He wasn't a part of my life. I'd go over there and stay with him and his family, utit was just weird to me. Then when I got to an age where I could speak up to Mum, about six or seven, I said, 'I don't want to go; I don't like it.'" She attended Southport State School and experienced the personal struggles of a lonely childhood as she wanted a life similar to her school friends. "Their mums and dads were married. They had brothers and sisters. They had afternoon tea. They had a cooked dinner. I never had that. I'd get home from school and there was nothing in the cupboard. I would eat mouldy bread and drink water because that would fill me up". Coulter grew up mostly on her own because her mother worked two jobs to pay the bills. During primary school, Coulter participated in many sports, including swimming, touch football and
netball Netball is a ball sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of seven players. The primary objective is to shoot a ball through the defender's goal ring while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own. It is one of a ...
, which she played for six years. When Coulter was nine years old, her mother met John, a man of
Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
descent who is now her step father. Coulter has two half-sisters, Jodie and Emily. As a teenager, she attended Southport State High School. At the age of 15, Coulter had a serious knee injury that required reconstructive surgery. She was told she would never play netball again. Several months later, Coulter's ability to sing was discovered by her mother, who overheard her in her bedroom, which led to her performing at gigs in the Gold Coast and
Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
areas with live bands. Aside from singing, she also learned how to play several instruments, including the
tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (whi ...
, flute, and trumpet, and would often play them in school concerts and the school stage band. During high school, Coulter excelled in music and sport. After completing high school in 2002, she decided to focus on her music career, and began writing her own songs with her good friend Xy Latu.


Music career


2003–2004: ''Australian Idol'' and ''Popstars Live''

In 2003, Coulter auditioned for the first season of ''
Australian Idol ''Australian Idol'' is an Australian singing competition, which began its first season in July 2003 and ended its initial run in November 2009. As part of the ''Idol'' franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program '' Pop Id ...
'' but did not make it past the audition rounds. The following year, Coulter successfully auditioned for the first season of ''
Popstars Live ''Popstars Live'' was an Australian music talent show television program similar to ''Australian Idol'' that aired on the Seven Network in early 2004. It was an evolution of the original ''Popstars'' TV show which aired between 2000 and 2002 on ...
'' and progressed to the top sixty round of the competition but was part of the first group of performers who were sent home. Later that same year, Coulter successfully auditioned for the second season of ''Australian Idol'', singing
En Vogue En Vogue is an American vocal girl group whose original lineup consisted of singers Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. Formed in Oakland, California, in 1989, En Vogue reached No. 2 on the US Hot 100 with the singl ...
's " Don't Let Go (Love)", and progressed through to the semi-finals. Following the semi-final process, she had advanced through to the top twelve. Throughout the season, Coulter was regarded as a favourite to win the competition because of her performances of
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
's " Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough",
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...
's version of "
Proud Mary "Proud Mary" is a song by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, written by vocalist and lead guitarist John Fogerty. It was released as a single in January1969 by Fantasy Records and on the band's second studio album, '' Bayou Coun ...
" and
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...
's " I Have Nothing". In the final seven weeks, Coulter was eliminated from the competition. Following her elimination, "newspapers ran the story as front-page news and Coulter herself couldn't quite hide the anger and disappointment she plainly felt". Like contestant Daniel Belle, who was eliminated the week before her, Coulter never appeared in the bottom three until her elimination.


2005–2007: ''Ricki-Lee'' and Young Divas

Following her departure from ''Australian Idol'', Coulter was offered recording contracts by record labels including the show's sponsor
Sony BMG Sony BMG Music Entertainment was an American record company owned as a 50–50 joint venture between Sony Corporation of America and Bertelsmann. The venture's successor, the revived Sony Music, is wholly owned by Sony, following their buyout o ...
, but she signed with Australia's biggest independent label Shock Records. Coulter explained, "I'd met with a number of labels and Shock were the only one that asked me what I wanted to do and what kind of album I wanted to make and who I wanted to work with". Her debut single "
Hell No! "Hell No!" is the debut single of Australian singer Ricki-Lee Coulter. It was released on 13 June 2005 as the lead single from her self-titled debut album, '' Ricki-Lee'' (2005). "Hell No!" debuted and peaked at number five on the ARIA Singles ...
" was released in June 2005, ahead of the related self-titled debut album, '' Ricki-Lee''. The song peaked at number five on the
ARIA Singles Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
– remaining in the top-ten for three consecutive weeks. It was eventually
certified Certification is part of testing, inspection and certification and the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestatio ...
gold by the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival Records (Australia), Festival, Sony Music ...
, for shipments of 35,000 copies. "
Sunshine Sunlight is the portion of the electromagnetic radiation which is emitted by the Sun (i.e. solar radiation) and received by the Earth, in particular the visible light perceptible to the human eye as well as invisible infrared (typically per ...
" was released as her second single in September, which peaked at number eight and was also certified gold. ''Ricki-Lee'' was released on 3 October 2005, which peaked at number 30 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Coulter collaborated with several producers and songwriters on the album, including Audius Mtawarira, Israel Cruz, Nitty, Jarrad Rogers and Kara DioGuardi, among others. " Breathe" was released as the album's third and final single in January 2006, and reached number 14. At the 2006 Australian and New Zealand Urban Music Awards, ''Ricki-Lee'' was nominated for 'Best R&B Album'. That same year, Coulter joined forces with previous ''Australian Idol'' contestants Paulini, Emily Williams and Kate DeAraugo to be part of the all-girl singing project called
Young Divas Young Divas was an Australian pop girl group formed in 2006 by Sony BMG Australia, initially for a one-off single and national tour to promote all members as solo artists. The original line-up consisted of former '' Australian Idol'' contest ...
. The project was initially formed to promote a joint 17-date national tour, where all singers would perform their solo material and several songs as a group. Young Divas released a
cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
of
Donna Summer Donna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the "Queen of Disco", while her music ...
's single " This Time I Know It's for Real" in May 2006, through Sony BMG, to promote tickets for the tour. A
music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
was also shot to accompany the song's release. In an interview with ''
The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuous ...
'', DeAraugo stated that they are "not an ''Idol'' supergroup, it's just about finding four female voices. It just so happened the four we've gone with are all from ''Idol''. The single is just to promote the tour, just to show a taste of what will be on there, but there won't be an album". Young Divas' version of "This Time I Know It's for Real" peaked at number two and remained in the top-ten for fourteen consecutive weeks. It was eventually certified platinum, for shipments of 70,000 copies. Five months after the single's release, Young Divas released a second single in November 2006, a cover of
Lonnie Gordon Lonnie Gordon (born November 8, 1965, Philadelphia) is an American female dance, pop and R&B singer and songwriter. She scored several chart hits during the 1990s, most notably for her 1990 UK top 10 single " Happenin' All Over Again". Earl ...
's " Happenin' All Over Again". The song peaked at number nine and was certified gold. Their commercial success prompted the release of a debut album of classic disco and pop covers titled, ''
Young Divas Young Divas was an Australian pop girl group formed in 2006 by Sony BMG Australia, initially for a one-off single and national tour to promote all members as solo artists. The original line-up consisted of former '' Australian Idol'' contest ...
'', on 27 November 2006, establishing themselves as an official group. The album debuted at number four and was certified double platinum, for shipments of 140,000 copies. A cover of Hazell Dean's "
Searchin' "Searchin" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller specifically for the Coasters. Atco Records released it as a single in March 1957, which topped the R&B Chart for twelve weeks. It also reached number three on the ''Billboard'' s ...
" was released as the group's third single, and reached number 40. In February 2007, it was announced that Young Divas had pulled out of their scheduled national tour supporting Irish boy band
Westlife Westlife are an Irish pop group formed in Dublin in 1998. The group consists of members Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily. Brian McFadden was a member before leaving in March 2004. The group disbanded in 2012 and later reun ...
, because Coulter had headed overseas to work on her second solo album. The cancellation occurred amid claims that Coulter was set to leave the group, due to personality clashes with DeAraugo. The rumours were denied by the group's manager David Champion, who stated that she would return for the group's next headlining tour and the recording of their second album. However, on 22 June 2007, Coulter announced her departure to resume her solo career and to plan her then-upcoming wedding to fiancé, Jamie Babbington.
Jessica Mauboy Jessica Hilda Mauboy (; born 4 August 1989) is an Australian singer. Born and raised in Darwin, Northern Territory, she rose to fame in 2006 on the Australian Idol (season 4), fourth season of ''Australian Idol'', where she was runner-up and s ...
, who became runner-up on the fourth season of ''Australian Idol'', was Coulter's replacement in the group.


2007–2010: ''Brand New Day'' and subsequent releases

Coulter released " Can't Touch It" as the lead single from her second album '' Brand New Day'' in August 2007. The song peaked at number two and remained in the top-ten for eight consecutive weeks. It is Coulter's most successful single, and was certified platinum in 2008. At the 2007 Jägermeister AIR Awards, "Can't Touch It" was nominated for 'Best Performing Independent Single/EP'. ''Brand New Day'' was released on 11 August 2007, which peaked at number 37. Coulter worked with several producers and songwriters on the album, including KNS,
David Gamson David Gamson is an American keyboardist/musician (also a producer, songwriter, arranger, engineer). Originally hailing from New York, he has worked with, among others, Kesha, Kelly Clarkson, Jessie J, Adam Lambert, Chaka Khan, Charli XCX, Meshel ...
, Marc Nelkin, Vince Pizzinga, Andrew De Sylva, Mtawarira and Glenn Cunningham, among others. At the 2007 Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards, Coulter won the award for 'Fave Female Singer'. Her version of Swedish recording artist
Agnes Carlsson Agnes Emilia Carlsson (born 6 March 1988), known Mononymous person, mononymously as Agnes, is a Swedish singer. She rose to fame as the winner of Idol 2005, the second season of the Idol (Sweden), Swedish Idol series. She was then signed to Sony ...
's "
Love Is All Around "Love Is All Around" is a song recorded by English rock band the Troggs. Released as a single in October 1967, it was a top-ten hit in both the UK and US. "Love Is All Around" has been covered by numerous artists, including R.E.M., with w ...
" was released as the second single from ''Brand New Day'' in November 2007, and peaked at number five. On 18 November 2007, Coulter performed at the first Fluffy Festival in Brisbane alongside acts such as Mr Timothy, Slinkee Minx, Potbelleez, TV Rock, Seany B and Vandalism. A month later, it was announced that Coulter had signed two international record deals, with dance label Ministry of Sound UK and the Japanese independent label
Pony Canyon , also known by the shorthand form , is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966, which distributes music, films, home video, and video games. It is affiliated with the Japanese media group Fujisankei Communications Group. Pony Canyo ...
. ''Brand New Day'' was released in Japan on 9 January 2008, and peaked at number 242 on the Japanese Albums Chart. That same month, Coulter was a supporting act for
Hilary Duff Hilary Erhard Duff (born September 28, 1987) is an American actress, singer, author and businesswoman. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Hilary Duff, various accolades, including a World Music Awards, World Mus ...
's Australian leg of her Dignity Tour. " Can't Sing a Different Song" was released as the album's third and final single in March 2008, and peaked at number eight. During this time, Coulter embarked on her Brand New Day Tour in Australia, which served as her first solo headlining tour. At the 2008 Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards, she received two nominations in the categories of 'Fave Aussie' and 'Fave Singer', and won the latter award. In September 2008, Coulter released " Wiggle It", which peaked at number 11, as the lead single from her first
compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...
'' The Singles''. The album was released on 8 November 2008, but failed to impact the charts. In July 2009, Coulter released " Don't Miss You", which peaked at number 24, as the lead single from her proposed third studio album, ''Hear No, See No, Speak No''. The second single, the
title track A title track is a song that has the same name as the album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-t ...
, was released in October 2009, and peaked at number 46. ''Hear No, See No, Speak No'' was originally scheduled to be released in November 2009, but was pushed back for a January 2010 release. Coulter eventually decided to cancel the album's release due to the first two singles struggling on the charts. In March 2010, Coulter was a supporting act for
Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys (often abbreviated as BSB) are an American vocal group consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson (musician), Kevin Richardson. The band formed in 1993 in Orlando, Flori ...
' Australian leg of their This Is Us Tour. That same year, her song "Can't Touch It" was featured on the
soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...
to the film, ''
Sex and the City 2 ''Sex and the City 2'' is a 2010 American romantic comedy film written, co-produced, and directed by Michael Patrick King. It is the sequel to the 2008 film ''Sex and the City','' which was based on the 1998–2004 HBO television series of ...
''. Coulter announced via her official
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
account on 2 July 2010, that she had parted ways with her manager of five years Lauren Brown. It was then revealed that her new manager was Sean Anderson of the management company 22. Coulter later parted ways with Anderson and became managed by her-then boyfriend Richard Harrison of Black Label Entertainment. Throughout 2010, Coulter put her music career on hold as she took on a full-time position as a breakfast
radio presenter A radio personality is a person who has an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality who hosts a radio show is also known as a radio host (North American English), radio presenter (British English) or radio jockey. Radio personali ...
for Sydney's Nova 96.9, alongside Merrick Watts and Scott Dooley. During this time, Coulter had thoughts about quitting music. "At the start of heyear, I couldn't imagine walking in a studio and writing a song again. I didn't even want to get on stage and sing. I was over it. It's hard for me to say that even now. Music is all I've ever wanted to do. I wasn't mentally there any more. I wanted out, it was too hard. I felt like I'd been worn down. I felt defeated". She later stated that after attending a
Thirty Seconds to Mars Thirty Seconds to Mars (commonly stylized as 30 Seconds to Mars) is an American Rock music, rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1998. The band consists of brothers Jared Leto (lead vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards) and Shannon Let ...
concert in Melbourne and rewatching Michael Jackson's '' Dangerous Tour'' DVD, she was inspired to perform again.


2011–2014: ''Fear & Freedom'' and ''Dance in the Rain''

Coulter ended her contract with Shock Records in 2011. Following the release of her single "
Raining Diamonds "Raining Diamonds" is a song by Australian recording artist Ricki-Lee Coulter. It was written by Coulter, Billy Mann and Boyblue, who also produced the song. "Raining Diamonds" was released Music download, digitally on 18 October 2011 as the lea ...
" in October 2011, it was revealed that Coulter had signed a record deal with major label
EMI Music Australia EMI Recorded Music Australia Pty Ltd (called EMI Music Australia until May 2013) is an Australian imprint of Universal Music Australia, formerly a subsidiary label of EMI Recordings Ltd and, between 1979 and 1996, that of Thorn EMI. It is Austr ...
. "Raining Diamonds", which peaked at number 19, was the lead single from Coulter's third album, '' Fear & Freedom'', and was certified platinum. It earned her two nominations at the 2011 IT List Awards in the categories of 'Single of 2011' and 'Australian Female Artist'. " Do It Like That", the second single, was released in March 2012, which peaked at number 13 and was certified platinum. It also became Coulter's first single to chart internationally, reaching number seven on the
Japan Hot 100 The ''Billboard Japan'' Hot 100 is a record chart in Japan for songs. It has been compiled by ''Billboard Japan'' and Hanshin Contents Link since February 2008. The chart is updated every Wednesday at Billboard-japan.com ( JST) and every Thursday ...
chart. "Do It Like That" earned Coulter her first ARIA Music Award nomination for Song of the Year. The third single, "
Crazy Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors caused by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can manifest as violations of societal norms, including a person or persons becoming a danger to themselves or to other ...
", was released in July 2012, and reached number 46. On 30 May 2012 Coulter first performed tracks from ''Fear & Freedom'', at the Beresford Hotel, Sydney. The album was released on 17 August 2012, which debuted at number seven and became Coulter's first top-ten album as a solo artist. In September 2012, Coulter embarked on her Fear & Freedom Tour in Australia, which served as her second headlining tour. At the 2012 Cosmopolitan Fun, Fearless, Female Women of the Year Awards, Coulter won the award for 'Singer of the Year'. " Burn It Down", the fourth and final single from ''Fear & Freedom'', was released in December 2012, and reached number 49. " Come & Get in Trouble with Me" was released as Coulter's fourteenth overall single in August 2013, and peaked at number 28. In April–May 2014, Coulter was the supporting act for
Jason Derulo Jason Joel Desrouleaux (born September 21, 1989), known professionally as Jason Derulo (; formerly stylized as Derülo), is an American singer, songwriter and dancer. Since the start of his solo recording career in 2009, he has sold over 250 m ...
's Australian leg of his Tattoos World Tour. In May 2014, she released " All We Need Is Love", which peaked at number 39, as the lead single from her fourth studio album '' Dance in the Rain''. The album's second single, " Happy Ever After", was released in July 2014, and debuted at number 65. ''Dance in the Rain'' was released on 17 October 2014, which debuted at number 14 and became Coulter's second top-fifteen album. "Giddyup" was released as the third singles from ''Dance in the Rain'', but failed to chart.


2015–2022: Single releases

In 2015 and 2016, Coulter took a break from releasing music and spent two years living and writing songs in Los Angeles. After a three-year hiatus, she released the single " Not Too Late" in September 2017. The "lulling, soft ballad" marks a departure from Coulter's previous dance releases, and is lyrically about "redemption and it never being too late to right our wrongs and start again." "Not Too Late" was released through
Universal Music Australia Universal Music Australia Pty Ltd. (UMA) is the largest Australian music corporation. It is a division of the Universal Music Group. Universal Music Australia's corporate headquarters are located in Sydney, Australia. Labels Universal Music ...
, following their purchase of Coulter's label EMI, and debuted at number 83. In April 2018, Coulter performed at both the
opening Opening may refer to: Types of openings * Hole * A title sequence or opening credits * Grand opening of a business or other institution * Inauguration * Keynote * Opening sentence * Opening sequence * Opening statement, a beginning statemen ...
and closing ceremonies of the
2018 Commonwealth Games The 2018 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XXI Commonwealth Games and also known as Gold Coast 2018, were an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth that was held on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, bet ...
, held on the
Gold Coast, Queensland The Gold Coast, also known by its initials, GC, is a coastal city and region in the state of Queensland, Australia, located approximately south-southeast of the centre of the list of Australian capital cities, state capital, Brisbane. It is ...
. Coulter released the single "Unbothered" in October 2018. "Unbothered" was described by Denise Raward of '' Sunshine Coast Daily'' as an "unashamed" pop track with a "cruisy" tone and "sassy" lyrics. Coulter referred to "Unbothered" as an "anthem" that talks about walking "away from shitty people and shitty situations," and "taking control back." In May 2019, Coulter began to embark on her Ricki-Lee: Live in Concert Tour in Australia, which was held to celebrate her first 15 years in the music industry. The tour featured Coulter performing songs from the film '' A Star Is Born'' (2018) and from her time on ''Australian Idol'' (2004), as well as her greatest hits as a solo artist and with the Young Divas. Coulter's first music release in two years, the song " Last Night", was released on 12 June 2020.


2023–present: ''On My Own''

In March 2023, Ricki-Lee released " On My Own", the first single from her fifth studio album. The second single "Point of No Return" was released on 21 July 2023. In November 2023, Coulter released the third single for the album titled "Ghost" and announced her fifth studio album would be released in March 2024, titled '' On My Own''. The fourth and final single "I Was Made for Loving You" was released on 1 March 2024, and the album officially dropped on 8 March. On My Own debuted at Number 3 on the
ARIA Albums Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
being the highest selling album by an Australian artist that week.


Musical style and influences

Coulter's music has ranged from R&B and pop, to electro,
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
and
dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
. Guy Blackman of ''
The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...
'' noted that Coulter's self-titled debut album, ''Ricki-Lee'' (2005), "is an infectious collection of R&B-tinged pop tunes that takes a step beyond the usual ''Idol'' fodder". Matthew Chisling of
Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
also noted that the album includes elements of rock, and compared the material to artists such as
S Club 7 S Club, formerly known as S Club 7, are a British pop group formed in 1998 by Simon Fuller after he was fired as manager of the Spice Girls. Original members were Tina Barrett, Paul Cattermole, Jon Lee, Bradley McIntosh, Jo O'Meara, Ha ...
and
Nicole Scherzinger Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Scherzinger ( ; ; born June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She was a member of the girl group and dance ensemble the Pussycat Dolls between 2003 and 2010. With ...
. Her second album, ''Brand New Day'' (2007), features upbeat dance songs, with elements of
disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...
,
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...
, 40s
swing music Swing music is a style of jazz that developed in the United States during the late 1920s and early 1930s. It became nationally popular from the mid-1930s. Swing bands usually featured soloists who would improvise on the melody over the arrangement ...
, 70s
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
pop and
motown Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...
. The lyrics for the album's third single "Can't Sing a Different Song" are "'kind of bragging' about how happy she and her husband" at the time, Babbington, are. In 2009, Coulter released the singles " Don't Miss You" and " Hear No, See No, Speak No", which showcased a new
electropop Electropop is a popular music fusion genre combining elements of the electronic and pop styles. It has been described as a variant of synth-pop with emphasis on a hard electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a rev ...
and
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
sound. Coulter admitted that "Don't Miss You" was about ending her relationship with Babbington, saying "it was my first break-up and he was my first boyfriend so I can't lie". Aside from recording music, Coulter has co-written much of her own material. She co-wrote four songs on her debut album, ten songs on her second album, and twelve songs on her third album. Coulter has said that she grew up listening to artists such as
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
and
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...
, citing the latter as an influence. She has also named
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
and
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...
as influences, she told ''
Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Internationalism * World citizen, one who eschews traditional geopolitical divisions derived from national citizenship * Cosmopolitanism, the idea that all of humanity belongs to a single moral community * Cosmopolitan ...
'' magazine, " eyoncé isso driven, she pushes herself to the limits and she's achieved so much but she's always looking for what that next thing is and how she can improve from what she's done in the past. She's really setting the benchmark for female artists and I think she kind of is the Michael Jackson of this generation". Critics have compared Coulter's songs " Do It Like That" (2012) and its accompanying music video, as well as "Giddyup" (2014) to Beyoncé's work. Coulter has expressed admiration for other female artists such as
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
,
Pink Pink is a pale tint of red, the color of the Dianthus plumarius, pink flower. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, p ...
,
Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her image reinventions and versatility across the entertainment industry, she is an influ ...
and
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists in hist ...
.


Other ventures


Television

Coulter appeared as a contestant on the Australian
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...
show '' Celebrity Circus'' in May 2005, alongside eight other celebrities. The show's task was to train contestants as circus performers. In February 2008, she was a mentor on the third season of the celebrity singing show, '' It Takes Two'', and was partnered with professional golfer and tennis player Scott Draper. Coulter and Draper were the third duo to be eliminated from the competition on 4 March. Later that year, she returned to ''Australian Idol'' as a host and reporter alongside
James Mathison James Mathison (born 14 January 1978) is an Australian television presenter and radio personality, known for his distinctive interviewing style. Mathison gained recognition for his work as a host, interviewer, and journalist, covering a divers ...
and
Andrew Günsberg Andrew is the English form of the given name, common in many countries. The word is derived from the , ''Andreas'', itself related to ''aner/andros'', "man" (as opposed to "woman"), thus meaning "manly" and, as consequence, "brave", "strong", "c ...
. Coulter co-hosted the show for two seasons, and received a nomination at the 2009
Logie Awards The TV Week Logie Awards (known colloquially as The Logies) is an annual ceremony celebrating and honouring the best shows and stars in Australian television, sponsored and organised by the magazine ''TV Week''. The event is telecast live and ...
for Most Popular New Female Talent. Coulter became a mentor for the first season of '' The Voice Australia'' in 2012, and paired up with coach
Seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, also called "true seal" ** Fur seal ** Eared seal * Seal ( ...
to prepare the contestants in his team for the show's battle rounds. In 2014, Coulter became a contestant on the fourteenth season of '' Dancing with the Stars Australia'' and was partnered with professional dancer Jarryd Byrne. She made it to the grand finale and placed third in the competition. Coulter hosted the television program ''Life Changing Adventures'', which premiered on 7Two on 11 June 2017. Filmed in New Zealand's
South Island The South Island ( , 'the waters of Pounamu, Greenstone') is the largest of the three major islands of New Zealand by surface area, the others being the smaller but more populous North Island and Stewart Island. It is bordered to the north by ...
in April 2015, the show featured nine ordinary Australians taking on challenges to raise money and awareness for the CanDo4Kids charity. In 2019, Coulter became the host of the ninth season of ''
Australia's Got Talent ''Australia's Got Talent'' is an Australian reality television talent show. The show is based on the '' Got Talent'' series format that originated in the United Kingdom with Simon Cowell. The first six seasons aired on the Seven Network, from ...
'', and returned as host for the tenth season in 2022. In 2022, it was announced that Coulter would be joining the Seven Network reboot of ''Australian Idol'' as a co-host alongside
Scott Tweedie Scott Tweedie (born 29 January 1988) is an Australian television and radio host, presenter and producer. He previously was in the United States hosting on the E! Network. Tweedie was a network host for Network 10, hosting the hit music televisi ...
, after a thirteen-year hiatus from the show.


Radio

Coulter made her debut as a radio presenter in January 2008, joining Brisbane's
B105 FM B105 (call sign 4BBB) is a commercial FM radio station broadcasting in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, on a frequency of 105.3 MHz, and is part of Southern Cross Austereo's Hit Network. The station has undergone numerous branding changes over ...
breakfast team, alongside ''Labrat, Stav and Camilla''. That same year, she co-hosted Melbourne's Fox FM summer breakfast show, alongside Mike Goldman and Brian McFadden. Coulter became a full-time radio presenter for Sydney's Nova 96.9 breakfast show in 2010, alongside Merrick Watts and Scott Dooley. She co-hosted the show for that year only, but received two award nominations: 'Best Newcomer on Air – Metropolitan' at the 2010 Australian Commercial Radio Awards, and 'Radio Host' at the 2010 Cosmopolitan Fun, Fearless, Female Women of the Year Awards. In October 2022, Coulter began filling in for Kate Ritchie on Nova's nation drive radio show '' Kate, Tim & Joel''. In March 2023, it was announced by Nova that she would permanently join the show as a co-host after Ritchie joined '' Fitzy & Wippa.'' She joined remaining hosts Tim Blackwell and Joel Creasy. The show was subsequently renamed ''Ricki-Lee, Tim & Joel'' upon her permanent joining of the team.


Endorsements

Coulter became the ambassador for Australian shapewear clothing line Hold Me Tight in 2008, appearing in several promotional campaigns as the face and body of the line. Hold Me Tight's collection was only launched at
Big W Big W (stylised as BIG W) is an Australian chain of discount department stores, which was founded in regional New South Wales in 1964. The company is a division of the Woolworths Group and as of 2024 operated 179 stores, with around 18,000 emp ...
stores across Australia and
The Warehouse A warehouse is a storage facility. Warehouse or The Warehouse may also refer to: Buildings and places Canada * The Warehouse (Toronto), a defunct nightclub in Toronto, Ontario * The Warehouse Studio, a recording facility and photography studio i ...
branches in New Zealand. In May 2012, she became the face of the 2012
Woolworths Supermarkets Woolworths (colloquially known as "Woolies") is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Woolworths Group (Australia), Woolworths Group. Founded in 1924, Woolworths is currently Australia's largest supermarket chain with a market share of 32.5% ...
Earn & Learn program, which aims at delivering "millions of dollars worth of educational resources" to primary and secondary schools in Australia. She appeared in a television commercial for the program, featuring students from Darcy Road Primary School in Wentworthville, New South Wales. Later that month, it was announced that Coulter was the new Australian face for international cosmetics brand
CoverGirl CoverGirl is an American cosmetics brand founded in Maryland, United States, by the Noxzema Chemical Company. It was acquired by Procter & Gamble in 1989, and later acquired by Coty, Inc. in 2016. The Noxell Company advertised this cosmetics l ...
, replacing model Jennifer Hawkins who had been with the brand since 2006. In 2013, Coulter teamed up with Cotton on Body to release her own range of dancewear pieces and intimates called Ricki-Lee Army. The collection included sequin printed tanks, all-over sequin hoodie jackets, mesh long-sleeve tops and printed knickers. It was made available to buy online from 22 August 2013 and in-stores from 26 August 2013.


Philanthropy

In 2007 and 2008, Coulter was an ambassador for McHappy Day, an annual fundraising event by McDonald's that supports the Ronald McDonald House Charities and provides much needed programs and services to seriously ill children and their families. In 2008, Coulter became the face of Jeans for Genes Day in Australia, a charity fundraising event organised by the Children's Medical Research Institute which sponsors investigation into childhood genetic diseases. Coulter has supported the charity since she was in high school. She raised $100,000 for the campaign, including profits made from her nude photo shoot with '' Cleo'' magazine. Alongside recording artist Marcia Hines, Coulter became a spokeswoman for the annual Australian red ribbon appeal in November 2011, raising money in the fight against
HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...
and
AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
, and helping people with HIV. A month later, on 19 December 2011, she performed at the Pitt Street Mall in Sydney, as part of the
Optus Singtel Optus Pty Limited is an Australian Telecommunications in Australia, telecommunications company headquartered in Macquarie Park, a suburb in the Northern Sydney region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is a wholly owned subsidiar ...
Celebrity Carols initiative to raise money for The Smith Family, a charity benefiting disadvantaged children and their families. In 2015, Coulter became an ambassador for McHappy Day again.


Personal life

At age 15, Coulter met Jamie Babbington, a builder from the Gold Coast who was aged 23 at the time. They started "dating seriously" after about a year. Coulter and Babbington married at a secret location in
Canungra, Queensland Canungra is a rural town and Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the Scenic Rim Region of South East Queensland, South East Queensland, Australia. In the , Canungra had a population of 1,436 people. Geography Located in South Eas ...
on 7 September 2007. Coulter took her husband's last name and became Ricki-Lee Babbington. The couple had their honeymoon in the
Maldives The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, and historically known as the Maldive Islands, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in South Asia located in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is southwest of Sri Lanka and India, abou ...
for five weeks. The following year, on 18 October 2008, Coulter's publicist issued a statement that they had separated due to "distance and time apart". In an interview with ''
Herald Sun The ''Herald Sun'' is a Conservatism, conservative daily tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia, published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Corp Australia, itself a subsidiary of the American Rupert Murdoch, Murd ...
''s Jonathan Moran, three years after the marriage ended, Coulter revealed that she had experienced depression during her relationship with Babbington. "I was living my dream but behind closed doors my personal life was a mess. ..I felt alone, I bottled it all up and it made things worse. I wanted to give up everything. I wouldn't leave the house for days at a time. I'd sit in the house all day and do nothing". In September 2009, Coulter began dating her manager Richard Harrison, and in August 2010, the couple went public with their relationship. Before meeting Harrison, Coulter was considered a role model for curvy girls and stated that she was proud of being a size 14 woman. She has since lost over 30 kilograms, which has transformed her into a size 8. The couple announced their engagement in the 7 January 2013 issue of '' New Idea'' magazine. After two years of being engaged, Coulter and Harrison married at the Château Bouffémont in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, France, on 5 August 2015. Coulter appeared on the cover of the 17 August 2015 issue of ''New Idea'' in her wedding dress. Coulter is a supporter of the
LGBT community The LGBTQ community (also known as the LGBT, LGBT+, LGBTQ+, LGBTQIA, LGBTQIA+, or queer community) comprises LGBTQ people, LGBTQ individuals united by LGBTQ culture, a common culture and LGBTQ movements, social movements. These Community, comm ...
and has stated, "So many of my fans, supporters and closest friends identify as gay." Over the years, she has performed at many gay nightclubs and LGBT-related events, including the
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras or Sydney Mardi Gras is an event in Sydney, New South Wales attended by hundreds of thousands of people from around Australia and overseas. One of the largest LGBT festivals in the world, Mardi Gras is the ...
. Coulter has been a long-time supporter of gay rights and issues, including same-sex marriage in Australia.


Discography

*'' Ricki-Lee'' (2005) *'' Brand New Day'' (2007) *'' Fear & Freedom'' (2012) *'' Dance in the Rain'' (2014) *'' On My Own'' (2024)


Tours

Headlining * The Brand New Day Tour (2008) * Fear & Freedom Tour (2012) *Ricki-Lee: Live in Concert Tour (2019) Co-headlining *Young Divas Tour with Paulini, Emily Williams and Kate DeAraugo (2006) Supporting act *Hilary Duff's Dignity Tour: Australian leg (2008) *Backstreet Boys' This Is Us Tour: Australian leg (2010) *Jason Derulo's Tattoos World Tour: Australian leg (2014) *Take That's This Life on Tour: Australian leg (2024)


Television


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* * Ricki-Lee Coulter at Allmusic.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Coulter, Ricki-Lee 1985 births Australian dance musicians Australian Idol participants Australian people of Māori descent Australian contemporary R&B singers New Zealand emigrants to Australia Ngāi Tahu people Musicians from Auckland Musicians from the Gold Coast, Queensland Young Divas members Living people Australian women pop singers