Emma Watkins

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Emma Watkins
Emma Watkins 2014.jpg
Watkins at the 2014 ARIA Music Awards, Sydney, November 26th, 2014
Born
Emma Olivia Watkins

(1989-09-21) 21 September 1989 (age 32)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia[1]
Other names
  • Yellow Wiggle
  • Emma Wiggle
Occupation
  • Singer
  • actress
Years active2010–present
Spouse(s)
Lachy Gillespie
​
​
(m. 2016; div. 2018)​
Partner(s)Oliver Brian (2019–present; engaged)
Musical career
GenresChildren's
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • drums
  • guitar
LabelsABC Kids / ABC Music
Associated actsThe Wiggles
Websitewww.emmawatkins.com

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

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] By 2021, she is doing her PhD research around Sign language and dance.

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]

In October 2021, she has announced that she will be leaving the Wiggles, and will be replaced by Tsehay Hawkins in 2022.[10]

Personal life[]

Watkins and fellow Wiggles performer Lachlan Gillespie were married on 9 April 2016 at Hopewood House in Bowral, New South Wales.[11][12] On 3 August 2018, Watkins and Gillespie announced their separation.[13]

In April 2018, Watkins was forced to withdraw from several shows, suffering from pain caused by severe endometriosis. She underwent surgery after being diagnosed with Stage IV endometriosis. Her specialist, Professor Jason Abbott, believes that Watkins' speaking out about her diagnosis helped raise awareness of the condition.[14]

On 5 April 2021, Watkins announced her engagement to Oliver Brian, a musician who works with the Wiggles. They had begun dating in December 2019.[15]

Videography[]

  • Emma! (2015)[16]
  • Dial E for Emma (2016)[17]
  • The Best of Emma! (2019)[18]
  • Emmatastic! (2019)[19]
  • Emma! 2: Dance Spectacular (2020)[20]

Discography[]

  • Emma! (2015)[21]
  • Dial E for Emma! (2016)[22]
  • Emma! 2 (2019)[23]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d "Meet the next generation Wiggles". wiggletime.com. Archived from the original on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  2. ^ Birth date references:
  3. ^ a b 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. ^ "Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins quits, to be replaced by 15-year-old Tsehay Hawkins". ABC News. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  11. ^ Ward, Mary (5 May 2015). "Purple Wiggle to marry Yellow Wiggle after weekend proposal". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 7 April 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  12. ^ Domjen, Briana (9 April 2016). "Purple Wiggle Lachlan Gillespie and Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins tie the knot in royal-inspired wedding". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 April 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  13. ^ Rota, Genevieve (3 August 2018). "The Wiggles' Emma and Lachy split after two years of marriage". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 7 April 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  14. ^ Hassall, Greg (3 December 2018). "The show goes on for The Wiggles". ABC News. Archived from the original on 7 April 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  15. ^ "The Wiggles star Emma Watkins announces engagement to bandmate Oliver Brian". PerthNow. 5 April 2021. Archived from the original on 7 April 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  16. ^ "Wiggles - Emma!, The". Sanity Entertainment. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  17. ^ "The Wiggles, [Region 4]: Dial E for Emma ". Fishpond Ltd. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  18. ^ "The Best of Emma!". Sanity Entertainment. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  19. ^ "Emmatastic!". Sanity Entertainment. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  20. ^ "Emma! 2: Dance Spectacular". Sanity Entertainment. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  21. ^ "Emma! - (The Wiggles)". ABC Music. 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  22. ^ "Dial E For Emma". Sanity Entertainment. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  23. ^ "Emma! 2". Sanity Entertainment. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.

External links[]

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