Ricki-Lee Dawn Coulter (born 10 November 1985) is an Australian singer-songwriter, television and radio presenter. She was born in Auckland, New Zealand, raised in Gold Coast, Queensland, and began performing at age 15. Coulter rose to fame in 2004 on the second season of Australian Idol 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!" and "Sunshine". Both singles were certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). The following year, Coulter became a member of the Australian pop girl group Young Divas, 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", "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. Coulter's third album Fear & Freedom (2012) debuted at number seven on the ARIA Albums Chart and became her first top-ten album. It included the top-twenty hits "Raining Diamonds" 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 and Andrew Günsberg. The role earned her a nomination at the 2009 Logie Awards 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. Coulter was announced in September 2022 as the co-host of the 2023 Seven Network reboot of Australian Idol alongside Scott Tweedie.
Early life
Ricki-Lee Dawn Coulter was born on 10 November 1985 in Auckland, New Zealand.
As a teenager, she attended Southport State High School. Following the semi-final process, she had advanced through to the top twelve. In the final seven weeks, Coulter was eliminated from the competition.
2005–2007: Ricki-Lee and Young Divas
thumb|right|180px|Coulter on the red carpet of the [[ARIA Music Awards of 2006|2006 ARIA Music Awards.]]
Following her departure from Australian Idol, Coulter was offered recording contracts by record labels including the show's sponsor Sony BMG, but she signed with Australia's biggest independent label Shock Records. The song peaked at number five on the ARIA Singles Chart – remaining in the top-ten for three consecutive weeks. It was eventually certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association, for shipments of 35,000 copies. which peaked at number eight and was also certified gold. At the 2006 Australian and New Zealand Urban Music Awards, Ricki-Lee was nominated for 'Best R&B Album'. Five months after the single's release, Young Divas released a second single in November 2006, a cover of Lonnie Gordon'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, 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'" was released as the group's third single, and reached number 40. 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, 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
left|thumb|200px|Coulter performing in [[Tea Tree Gully, South Australia in February 2007.]]
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'. which peaked at number 37. 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. 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'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. which peaked at number 11,
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, was released in October 2009, and peaked at number 46. 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. That same year, her song "Can't Touch It" was featured on the soundtrack to the film, Sex and the City 2. Coulter announced via her official Twitter account on 2 July 2010, that she had parted ways with her manager of five years Lauren Brown. 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 for Sydney's Nova 96.9, alongside Merrick Watts and Scott Dooley. Following the release of her single "Raining Diamonds" in October 2011, it was revealed that Coulter had signed a record deal with major label EMI Music Australia. "Raining Diamonds", which peaked at number 19, 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'. which peaked at number 13 and was certified platinum. "Do It Like That" earned Coulter her first ARIA Music Award nomination for Song of the Year. and reached number 46. 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. At the 2012 Cosmopolitan Fun, Fearless, Female Women of the Year Awards, Coulter won the award for 'Singer of the Year'. and reached number 49. and peaked at number 28. 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.
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." In April 2018, Coulter performed at both the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, held on the Gold Coast, Queensland. 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.
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 being the highest selling album by an Australian artist that week.