Emma Watkins

Emma Olivia Watkins (born 21 September 1989)[2] is an Australian singer, actress, and dancer, best known as the first female member of the children's group the Wiggles.

Emma Watkins
Watkins in Toronto, Canada in 2018
Background information
Birth nameEmma Olivia Watkins
Born (1989-09-21) 21 September 1989
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia[1]
GenresChildren's
Occupation(s)Singer, actress
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • drums
  • guitar
Years active2010–present
LabelsABC Kids / ABC Music
Associated actsThe Wiggles
Websitewww.emmawatkins.com.au

Early life

Watkins started ballet when she was four. She saw the Wiggles perform Irish dancing and later studied other styles of dance, including jazz, hip hop, tap and contemporary. She attended The McDonald College, a performing arts school; won a full scholarship at the Sydney Film School; and completed a certificate specialising in musical theatre at ED5 International in Sydney. Watkins earned a master's degree in Media Arts and Production at the University of Technology Sydney. She has taught dance to children since she was in high school. She has also performed in Bollywood films, learned drums and other percussion instruments, was crowned Miss Granny Smith Apples in 2009, and was learning Australian Sign Language by 2012.[1]

Career

In 2010, Watkins began performing with the Wiggles, first as Fairy Larissa and then as Wags the Dog, Dorothy the Dinosaur, and as a Wiggly Dancer.[1][3][4] She used her film skills during tours with the group, providing them with video and editing services.[1] In May 2012, the Wiggles announced that Watkins would become the first female Wiggle, replacing founding member Greg Page as the Yellow Wiggle.[3] The original members stated that they chose Watkins because she was the most qualified for the job, and commented that it was "a strategy for marketing the Wiggles into the next generation".[5]

Lisa Tolin of the Associated Press called Watkins a strong role model for girls, and reported that her fans came to concerts dressed like her and that they gave her homemade bows, which had become part of her signature look.[6] Because of her popularity, she starred in the children's program on ABC Kids titled Emma!, consisting of episodes that are five minutes long, that premiered on 1 June 2015.[7]

In September 2019, it was announced that Watkins would host weekend afternoon programs on Sydney and Melbourne radio station smoothfm.[8]

In October 2020, Watkins appeared in the music video for “Back 2 Back” by Samantha Jade. At the 2020 ARIA Music Awards in November, she joined an ensemble of Australian women singers to perform "I Am Woman" as a tribute to its singer and songwriter, Helen Reddy.[9]

Personal life

Watkins and fellow Wiggles performer Lachlan Gillespie were married on 9 April 2016 at Hopewood House in Bowral, New South Wales.[10][11] On 3 August 2018, Watkins and Gillespie announced their separation.[12]

In April 2018, Watkins was forced to withdraw from several shows, due to pain from severe endometriosis. She underwent surgery after being diagnosed with Stage IV endometriosis. Her specialist, Professor Jason Abbott, believes that Watkins' speaking out about the disease helped raise awareness.[13]

Videography
  • Emma! (2015)[14]
  • Dial E for Emma (2016)[15]
  • The Best of Emma! (2019)[16]
  • Emmatastic! (2019)[17]
  • Emma! 2: Dance Spectacular (2020)[18]

Discography
  • Emma! (2015)[19]
  • Dial E for Emma! (2016)[20]
  • Emma! 2 (2019)[21]

References
  1. "Meet the next generation Wiggles". wiggletime.com. Archived from the original on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  2. Birth date references:
  3. Cuneo, Clementine (18 May 2012). "Emma Watkins is Ready, Willing, Able for The Wiggles". Herald Sun. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  4. Sams, Christine (29 June 2014). "Emma Watkins may be known as the Yellow Wiggle but she also has a hip side". Daily Telegraph.
  5. Shedden, Iain (19 May 2012). "The Wiggles: Split the band, save the brand". The Australian. Archived from the original on 20 May 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  6. Tolin, Lisa (15 August 2013). "Newest Wiggle Inspires an Army of Wiggling Girls". Valley News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  7. ABC Kids [@abckids] (31 May 2015). "Not long 'til @Emma_Wiggle teaches us a song about the corroboree frog and the sound it makes in her new show, Emma!" (Tweet). Retrieved 2 September 2015 – via Twitter.
  8. Davies, Brynn. "Emma Watkins Joins smoothfm Weekend Line Up". smoothfm.au. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  9. "Amy Shark, Delta Goodrem, Jessica Mauboy, the McClymonts, Tones and I Lead Tribute to Legendary Helen Reddy". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 23 November 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  10. Ward, Mary (5 May 2015). "Purple Wiggle to marry Yellow Wiggle after weekend proposal". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  11. Domjen, Briana (9 April 2016). "Purple Wiggle Lachlan Gillespie and Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins tie the knot in royal-inspired wedding". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  12. Genevieve Rota (3 August 2018). "The Wiggles' Emma and Lachy split after two years of marriage". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  13. Hassall, Greg (3 December 2018). "The show goes on for The Wiggles". ABC News. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  14. "Wiggles - Emma!, The". Sanity Entertainment. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  15. "The Wiggles, [Region 4]: Dial E for Emma ". Fishpond Ltd. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  16. "The Best of Emma!". Sanity Entertainment. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  17. "Emmatastic!". Sanity Entertainment. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  18. "Emma! 2: Dance Spectacular". Sanity Entertainment. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  19. "Emma! - (The Wiggles)". ABC Music. 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  20. "Dial E For Emma". Sanity Entertainment. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  21. "Emma! 2". Sanity Entertainment. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
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