Jump directly to the content
Feature
UN-POP-ULAR

Kim Kardashian, Teen Mom Farrah Abraham, Nicole Richie and more stars who attempted to become pop superstars but failed

MUSIC is not everyone's forte.

From Kim Kardashian to Teen Mom's Farrah Abraham to Nicole Richie, here are some stars who FAILED at a pop pivot - and left behind an earful of evidence.

Kim Kardashian put out an oft-forgotten music video in 2011
12
Kim Kardashian put out an oft-forgotten music video in 2011Credit: The Dream/Kim Kardashian
Farrah Abraham put out an entire album about being a Teen Mom
12
Farrah Abraham put out an entire album about being a Teen MomCredit: Farrah Abraham

Many listeners may consider Paris Hilton's 2005 self-titled album Paris the epitome of an ill-fated celebrity attempt at pop music.

But Paris' album reached No. 6 on the Billboard charts, and Lady Gaga had glowing words for its lead single.

"I always thought that Stars Are Blind was one of the greatest records ever," she the reality star.

"Quite honestly, it's a great pop record."

Paris' brief music career is actually perhaps a better example of a musical misstep that's aged nicely into a pop cultural artifact that holds its own on semi-ironic party playlists.

Here are some stars whose earnest attempt to branch out into music may not be such ‘shining’ examples as Stars Are Blind.

KIM KARDASHIAN

In 2011, Kim released a pop song and accompanying music video called Jam (Turn It Up) - produced by The Dream, who co-wrote Single Ladies by Beyonce and Umbrella by Rihanna.

It was the megastar media mogul's first and last attempt at a music career.

In the , Kim posed as the cameras flashed, tossed her hair under neon hues and crawled across the floor as she sang (yes, sang): "They playin' my jam, turn it up, turn it up."

The song can be found on , and the video - which "never officially saw the light of day" per - was re-uploaded by fans to YouTube.

“She doesn’t dance or anything just ... posing..." one wrote on the pulsating pop performance.

Kim, 41, doesn’t look back in anger, however.

Kim Kardashian's pop attempt Jam (Turn It Up) is still available on streaming services
12
Kim Kardashian's pop attempt Jam (Turn It Up) is still available on streaming servicesCredit: The Dream/Kim Kardashian
She crawled across the floor in the music video
12
She crawled across the floor in the music videoCredit: The Dream/Kim Kardashian

"That's like the one thing I'm like, 'I can't believe I did that," Kim told  in 2019.

"But then I talked to The Dream who wrote it ... And he was like 'did you have fun?' And I was like, 'yeah I had fun.'

And he was like, then stop being so hard on yourself about making a lame decision."

Interestingly enough, Kim was convinced by various music figures to record the song including then-acquaintance Kanye West - who even when she recorded the music video.

They began dating one year later.

NICOLE RICHIE

In 2007, Nicole Richie cut the track Dandelion, a cover of a song originally written by LFO and .

Nicole's version didn't exactly "bring the boys to the yard."

Nicole Richie plucked her country-infused pop song from ever being released
12
Nicole Richie plucked her country-infused pop song from ever being releasedCredit: Nicole Richie

The country-tinged breakup tune saw the Simple Life star, 40, sing: "I thought he was a flower, But I found out he's a weed."

According to , the song was "never officially released on any digital platforms" - though it can be found on re-uploaded by fans.

While Nicole's father Lionel Richie is a music legend - and the apple may have fallen far from the "Dandelion" in this case - some fans still enjoyed it.

"She's better than most artist[s] today i mean she's no Mariah but she's not bad at all," one YouTube commenter wrote.

"She can sing," wrote another. "This is so late 90's early 2000's - kinda [a] chill song."

FARRAH ABRAHAM

Teen Mom star Farrah, 30, is known to be quite the entrepreneur - from books to businesses - and the reality star also has the discography to prove it, for better or worse.

Fans were split by Farrah Abraham's confessional album
12
Fans were split by Farrah Abraham's confessional albumCredit: Spotify

In 2012, at the height her original show 16 and Pregnant, Farrah released a book, My Teenage Dream Ended.

The made it to No. 11 on the New York Times bestseller list, but she also released an oft-forgotten studio album with the same name.

According to , "The father of Abraham’s child, Derek Underwood, passed away a month before her birth. This sent Abraham into a deep depression and was the inspiration for her 2012 debut album."

They added: "The album bewildered critics with its glitchy auto tuned vocals, skittering dubstep beats and heartbreakingly dark lyrics."

Song titles include "The Phone Call That Changed My Life" and "After Prom" and the album cover included her daughter Sophia, 12.

The autotune-heavy album - and her subsequent 2014 song and music video , about "bullying" had fans and critics split and mystified.

Some said the album should make her an "Avant Garde icon," yet one user entitled their take: "Farrah Abraham's My Teenage Dream Ended review - Worst album ever made?"

It may just be better off left appreciated by Teen Mom die-hards.

She also put out a music video in 2014 for her song 'Blowin' that was anti-'bullying'
12
She also put out a music video in 2014 for her song 'Blowin' that was anti-'bullying'Credit: Farrah Abraham
One fan called Farrah Abraham's 2012 album 'the worst ever made'
12
One fan called Farrah Abraham's 2012 album 'the worst ever made'Credit: Farrah Abraham

TIFFANY TRUMP

Tiffany, 28, Donald Trump's daughter with Marla Maples, went pop instead of politics.

Or at least she did once - putting out the single Like A Bird in 2011.

While the song doesn't appear on Spotify or Apple Music, it is available for purchase on Amazon, and there are unofficial uploads of it on YouTube.

"I love music, it's always been a big passion for me," Tiffany, then-17,  

"It's more of a hobby right now, but we'll see in a couple of years if I actually do want to take it to the next level, to a more professional level.

But right now, my priority is focusing on school and getting into a good college."

Tiffany Trump put out a song in 2011 that's since gone viral on TikTok
12
Tiffany Trump put out a song in 2011 that's since gone viral on TikTokCredit: Tiffany Trump

Tiffany left her pop aspirations behind and did go on to earn a bachelor's degree from Donald's alma-mater, the University of Pennsylvania, and a law degree from Georgetown.

The song however has popped up on TikTok as yet another example of a bizarre relic for listeners to stumble upon.

Uploads of her song onto TikTok have gone viral - one upload of it has been used in some even said the "hyper-pop" song sounded like singer Grimes.

"This song is so good idc if she's Trump's daughter," user wrote while grooving to it.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

Ultimately, these stars stayed in their lanes but in the age of the internet, nothing is ever truly forgotten.

And rough gems are never immune from getting dusted off.

Several other stars, including Kim Kardashian, Nicole Richie and Teen Mom Farrah Abraham once went pop
12
Several other stars, including Kim Kardashian, Nicole Richie and Teen Mom Farrah Abraham once went popCredit: Instagram/Kim Kardashian
Tiffany Trump did too, but went on to earn a law degree and get engaged to businessman Michael Boulos
12
Tiffany Trump did too, but went on to earn a law degree and get engaged to businessman Michael BoulosCredit: Getty
Kim's music video was re-posted by fans and other have seen a resurgence as well
12
Kim's music video was re-posted by fans and other have seen a resurgence as wellCredit: The Dream/Kim Kardashian
Leaked Kim Kardashian music video features her crawling on the ground after failed 2012 pop music career

We pay for your stories!

Do you have a story for The US Sun team?

Email us at [email protected] or call 212 416 4552.

Like us on Facebook at  and follow us from our main Twitter account at 

Topics