From teenage runaway to Grammy-nominated songwriter: the turbulent career of Teddy Sinclair
In short: Born Natalia Cappuccini, the artist known as Natalia Kills and later Teddy Sinclair has navigated a volatile path through the music industry. From early legal troubles and cult involvement to a high-profile firing on reality television, her career is defined by constant reinvention, bold creative choices, and persistent personal resilience.
Born in Bradford in 1986, Sinclair’s early life was marked by instability. By age 14, she had run away from home, later describing her teenage years as degenerate and fraught with legal issues, suicidal depression, and a brief stint in a religious cult. She eventually channeled this intensity into music, finding early success in 2003 by winning a BBC Radio 1 MC Battle. After moving to Los Angeles in 2008 with no money, she lived in motels while aggressively pursuing studio collaborations, eventually catching the attention of will.i.am.
As Natalia Kills, she released the albums Perfectionist and Trouble, the latter of which drew heavily from her difficult upbringing. Her public image shifted dramatically in 2015 when she and her husband, Willy Moon, were fired as judges from the New Zealand X Factor following a viral incident where they harshly criticized a contestant. Sinclair later characterized the event as a manufactured media storm, noting that a legal gagging order prevented her from defending herself at the time. The fallout led to her departure from her record label, Cherrytree Records.
Despite these controversies, Sinclair has maintained a prolific career as a songwriter for major global acts including Blackpink, Madonna, and Rihanna, the latter of whom earned a Grammy nomination for the Sinclair-penned track Kiss It Better. In 2016, she formed the band Cruel Youth with Moon. Her recent years have been marked by both professional output and personal hardship, including the loss of their home in a 2021 fire and her 2025 brain surgery to treat trigeminal neuralgia. Throughout her career, she has cited influences ranging from Kate Bush to Marilyn Manson, consistently favoring music that is confessional and theatrical.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Teddy Sinclair
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