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====Dopo i Take That====
Dopo aver lasciato i Take That, Williams si immerse in uno stile di vita sregolato. Questo incluse un 'infame presenza durante un'esibizione degli [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]] al [[Glastonbury Festival|Glastonbury]] nel [[1995]]. Questo portò a una battaglia pubblicitaria contro [[droga|le droghe]] e l'[[alcolismo]], durante la quale mise su circa 18 kg e fu spesso visto in pubblico miseramente vestito, sporco e con la barba non curata. Dopo una violenta discussione, di cui i giornali hanno copiosamente parlato, con il gruppo degli Oasis, [[Noel Gallagher]] si rifiutò pubblicamente di condiderarlo diversamente da "quel ballerino sovrappeso dei Take That".
A quel tempo, i media e i giornali scandalistici e non britannici prevedevano che il "cattivo ragazzo" Robbie Williams non avrebbe mai avuto successo come cantante solista.
====''Life Thru A Lens''====
Nel [[1996]] Williams era pronto ad iniziare una vera carriera come solista. Il suo primo[[singolo]], "[[Freedom '90|Freedom '90]]" (una [[cover]] del popolare pezzo di [[George Michael]] del [[1990]]) fu pubblicato nell'[[Agosto]] [[1996]]. Dopo un periodo in una clinica di disintossizazionedisintossicazione, venne seguito da "Old Before I Die" nel [[1997]]. Entrambi i singoli raggiunsero il secondo posto nelle classifiche [[UK]] e vennero consideratoconsiderati dei successi. Questo portò al suo primo album solista, ''[[Life Thru A Lens]]'', nel corso di quell'anno.
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====''Angels''====
TheIl nextsingolo singlesuccessivo tratto fromda ''Life Thru A Lens'' wasfu "Angels", released innel DecemberDicembre [[1997]]. The song's popularity propelled the album toal numbernumero 1 on the album charts, 28 weekssettimane afterdopo the album was first released. The 'ballad'-style song is credited with single-handedly rescuing Williams' career, ande has proved to be his most popular to date, althoughsebbene itnon neverraggiunse reachedmai the top of the (UK) Singles Chart.
"Angels" wasfu voted bestmiglior songcanzoni ofdegli the lastultimi 25 yearsanni bydagli ascoltatori di [[BBC]] [[Radio 2]] listeners, ande recievedreceived a special award at the 25th25° [[Brit Awards]] ceremony, held at [[Earls Court]], [[LondonLondra]], innel [[FebruaryFebbraio]] [[2005]].
Williams quicklydivenne becamerapidamente auna [[celebritycelebrità]] in thenel [[UKRegno Unito]] withcon aun numbercerto ofnumero di altri othersingoli top ten singles, which would typically gather only minor interest in thenegli [[USA]]. "Millennium", built around a sample of the [[James Bond]] theme "[[You Only Live Twice]]", was a [[UK]] #1 hit in late [[1998]], butma only peaked at #72 in [[UnitedStati StatesUniti|America]].
====''I've Been Expecting You''====
HisIl secondsuo secondo album, ''[[I've Been Expecting You]]'', continued in the James Bond/spy theme ande topped the UK charts innell'ottobre Octoberdel 1998. InNel [[1999]] heha collaborato collaboratedcon withil singercantante [[Tom Jones (singercantante)|Tom Jones]] of the [[Lenny Kravitz]] song, "Are You Gonna Go My Way?" on the album [[Reload (Tom Jones album)|Reload]], which they also performed together at the [[Brit Awards]].
====''Sing When You're Winning''====
[[Image:Robbie Williams Sing When You're Winning cover.jpg|200px|right]]
WilliamsL'album nextsuccessivo albumdi Williams, ''[[Sing When You're Winning]]'', was released innel [[2000]]. The L'album contained the controversial single "Rock DJ", whichche reachedraggiunse numberil numero 1 in the UK charts ande was a minor hit in thenegli [[UnitedStati StatesUniti]].
Some controversy surrounded the single's accompanying [[music video]], which featured Williams in a [[roller disco]] surrounded by ravenous female fans. In theNel video, Williams strips [[nude]] for the fans, then (using [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] technology) he is shown 'stripping off' hisla sua [[skinpelle]], [[muscle]] tissue ande [[organorgano (anatomyanatomia)|organsorgani]] ande feeding them to the female dancers. TheIl video endstermina withcon Williams, now nothingora butsolo auno skeletonscheletro, still dancing to the music.
TheIl video wasfu nominatednominato forper anun [[MTV Video Music Award]], butma the combination of nudity ande violenceviolenza led toad auna reazione negativenegativa publicdel reactionpubblico, which has been cited as temporarily ending his career's momentum in the [[US]]. It is said that the frontal nudity was edited out in the US while the gore was left in, while the opposite was true for the UK. Even after the editing, thela fine del video's endingfu wastagliata cutda by manymolte TV stations aroundnel the worldmondo, ande in somealcuni countriespaesi the wholel'intero video wasfu banned ([[VH1 Europe]] made their own video for the song out of recording studio footage). Williams has since built a reputation for appearing nude (oro nearly nude) in photographsfotografie, videosvideo ande live performances.
====''Swing When You're Winning''====
InNel [[2001]], Williams released an [[album (musicmusica)|album]] ofdi cover songs from thedegli [[1950sanni '50]] ande [[1960s'60]]. The L'album, ''[[Swing When You're Winning]]'', contained [[jazz]], [[blues]] ande [[pop]] standards such ascome "Ain't That A Kick In The Head" ande "Mack The Knife". It also included a duet withcon [[Nicole Kidman]], hot off the [[Academy Award|Oscar]]-nominated success of her movie musical ''[[Moulin Rouge!]]'' (2001), singing a cover of the [[Frank Sinatra|Frank]] ande [[Nancy Sinatra]] classic "Something Stupid". Williams' cover of the [[Bobby Darin]] classic "[[Beyond the Sea (songcanzone)|Beyond the Sea]]" wasfu laterin includedseguito ininclusa thenella soundtrackcolonna ofsonora thedel film ''[[FindingAlla Ricerca di Nemo]]'' (2003) in an attempt to re-establish his appeal in thenegli USUSA.
====''Escapology''====
[[Image:Robbie Williams Escapology cover.jpg|200px|right]]
InNel [[2002]], Williams briefly stopped working with his long-term writing partner [[Guy Chambers]], butma they reunited sixsei monthsmesi laterdopo toper worklavorare onall'album the next albumsuccessivo, ''[[Escapology (album)|Escapology]]''. The L'album wasfu released innel Novembernovembre [[2002]]; its cover art depicts Williams dangling from a crane in bare feet, symbolising the [[escapology]] theme. The L'album received mixed reviews. ItsIl suo firstprimo singlesingolo, "Feel", wasfu a successful European hit, accompanied by a black and white [[music video]] in bianco e nero featuring actress [[Darryl Hannah]]. TheIl video forper theil nextsingolo singlesuccessivo, "Come Undone", wasfu heavily censored byda [[MTV Networks Europe]] for depicting a debauched (butma fully-clothed) Williams having three-way [[sexual intercourse|sex]] withcon twodue womendonne. TheIl video also showed unsettling images ofdi [[insectinsetti]]s ande [[reptilerettili]]s.
Despite the album's pop-based sound, ''Escapology'' did nothing to improve Williams' reputation innegli theUSA USe andin Canada, wheredove he wasera stillancora largely unrecognised. Amidst the poor reviews ande the controversy surrounding the music videos, it was confirmed thatche Williams ande Guy Chambers were to part ways permanently.
====''Intensive Care''====
[[Image:Robbie Williams Intensive Care cover.jpg|200px|right]]
ThreeTre yearsanni laterdopo, Williams released ''[[Intensive Care]]'', anun album co-written withcon l'ex- membro dei [[Duran Duran]] member [[Stephen Duffy]] in Williams' bedroom-cum-studio. The album's lyrics are popularly interpreted as Williams taking stock of his life. It features designs for a set of [[tarot]] cards by [[comic book]] creators [[Grant Morrison]] ande [[Frank Quitely]]. Morrison ande Williams becamediventarono friendsamici afterdopo che Williams attended one of Morrison's talks ina [[Los Angeles]].
The L'album was released in a highly-publicised worldwide launch onil [[9 Octoberottobre]] [[2005]]. Williams launched the l'album fromda [[BerlinBerlino]], [[GermanyGermania]], which was broadcast live to cinemas ande theatres around the world in a high-definition "cine-cast". It wasFu alsomostrato shownanche onil [[22 Octoberottobre]] [[2005]] onsu [[Channel 4]]. DuringDurante the album launch, Williams declared himself the new "King of Pop", a title that once belonged to [[Michael Jackson]] butma had fallen out of use after his declining popularity ande criminal trial.
Williams had initially announced that theche l'album would not be released in [[NorthNord America]], butma popular demand led to its release on [[iTunes]] innegli theUSA USe andnel theRegno UKUnito. The L'album was released domestically in Canada. Williams said of his continued low popularity innegli the USUSA, "IPenso thinkche the way for me to win America's heart is to perform, ande ifse I was really concerned about breaking big [in the USUSA] then there'd be a tour." Williams later indicated that he would neither release his album in the States nor tour there, claiming he has everything he wants without doing this.
Williams statesafferma thatche ''Intensive Care'' isè hisla bestsua workopera yetmigliore. It reached the number 1 spot on the UK charts for one week, ande made the top spot in other countries as well. "Tripping", theil firstprimo singlesingolo from thetratto dall'album, reached number 2 in the UK chart before being outsold by the trio Sugababes.
====Recent career====
InNel [[2002]], the [[UK]] public voted Williams to be on the [[BBC]]'s list of the 100 Greatest Britons (atal numbernumero 77). He was also voted 17th17° in [[Channel 4]]'s 100 Worst Britons poll.
[[Image:Chris Heath Feel cover.jpg|thumb|Cover of ''Feel'', a biography by Chris Heath.]]
A best-selling official biography writtenscritta byda Chris Heath, "Feel", wasfu pubblicata published innel [[2004]]. It chronicled events that led up to to the "Live Summer Tour 2003", duringdurante il whichquale Williams performed live to more than a 375,.000 people over three nights in Augustnell'agosto 2003 ata Knebworth Park in Hertfordshire; this has become known as the biggest UK rock concert ever. FormerL'ex Takemembro Thatdei bandTake memberThat [[Mark Owen]] appeared withcon Williams onil theterzo third daygiorno, whilementre 3.,5 millionmilioni more watched live on television ande on thesu Internet. Leading up to Knebworth, innel [[Decemberdicembre]] [[2003]], Williams toured [[Australia]] ande [[NewNuova ZealandZelanda]] alongside [[Duran Duran]].
Since his split with songwriter Guy Chambers, Williams has faced some questions about his own songwriting abilities. Armed with a new writing partner, Stephen Duffy, Williams has penned several new songs, including the UK number 1 hit "Radio" ande the more reflective "Misunderstood".
Both tunes are taken from Williams' 19-track "Greatest Hits" album, released in nell'[[Octoberottobre]] [[2004]]. InNel [[FebruaryFebbraio]] [[2005]], Williams receivedricevette the British music industry's award forper thela bestmiglior songcanzone of the past quarter century, "Angels", the song Williams credits with giving him a solo career.
Williams also performed at [[Live 8 concert, LondonLondra|the Live 8 concert ina LondonLondra]], [[2005]], where he was acknowledged as one of the stars of the show. An amusing incident happened at Live 8 when he asked the crowd to sing along with his hit song 'Feel', in which many in the crowd in [[Hyde Park]] were not familiar with. He jokingly covered it up ande got a well-received laugh from the incident.
Following in the footsteps of [[Freddie Mercury]] [[Live Aid]] twentyvent'anni years beforeprima, Williams got the entire crowd at Hyde Park to chant along with "[[We Will Rock You]]", showcasing Williams' ability to grab the crowd's energy.
The eclectic heartthrob, who clinched the best male performer prize at the MTV Europe Music Awards last week, only managed to top the album charts for one week withcon sixthil andsesto lateste ultimo album ''Intensive Care'' beforeprima di being overtaken by the new [[Westlife]] album ''[[Face to Face]]''.
Robbie Williams claimed the title of Britain's biggest-selling pop act of the still-very-young 21stXXI centurysecolo, selling 6.,3 millionmilioni di albumsalbum sincedal 2000, narrowly beating [[Coldplay]] to the top rank. He also set a world record, as defined by the [[Guinness Book of Records]], byvendendo selling overoltre 1.,6 millionmilioni tickets forper hisil 2006suo worldtour tourmondiale del 2006 in oneun daygiorno onil [[November 19 novembre]], 2005, beating a previous mark ofdi 1 millionmilione ticketsdi biglietti set by [['N Sync]] innel 2000. {{ref|tickets}}
===Williams' lifestyle===
[[Image:Robbie kissing fan.jpg|thumb|Williams kissing a fan during a performance.]]
Williams hasha leftlasciato theil UKRegno andUnito nowe livesora invive a [[Los Angeles, California]]. He remainsE' single. Speculation about his ambiguous sexuality ande romantic life is rampant in the British media. Williams likes to encourage an image as a smooth womaniser ande thereci aresono numerous widely-circulated Internet accounts, allegedly written by Williams' female sexual partners, claiming his considerable prowess as a lover. He regularly plucks female fans from the audience of his live performances ande [[french kiss]]es them on stage.
Williams, a self-confessed attention seeker, has garnered a reputation for pushing the envelope in regards to male nudity. ThoughSebbene itsia isabbastanza quitecomune commonper forle femalecelebrità celebritiesfemminili to appearapparire scantily clad innelle photographsfotografie (ande in fact oftenspesso expected of them), thisciò isè far less commoncomune forper mengli uomini. Williams' tendency to pose provocatively has gone from somewhat light-hearted "mooning" ande "pants-down" photos early in his career to more sexually explicit content. InNel [[2004]] the [[GermanyGermania|German]] website set up by his record label to promote his music posted an allegedly nude photographfotografia ofdi Williams with his crotch area blurred out. They promised thatche se ifun onemilione milliondi peoplepersone clicked on the photo they would unblur the area ande reveal the nudity. Once unblurred it was revealed thatche Williams was in fact holding some sort of phallus in front of his actual genitals so that they could not be seen; 24 hoursore laterdopo even this was covered by a miniature cut-out of his album cover.
Subsequently Williams hasha statedaffermato in avarie varietyinterviste ofcon pressla interviewsstampa thatche heconsidera considersse himselfstesso to be a [[naturist]]/[[nudist]] at heart, jokingly commenting that he will "end up being one of those dads who embarasses" his children. In late [[2005]] a campaign called "Get More" was launched by William's label to promote hisil suo album ''Intensive Care''. AUn video at the website featured thirty seconds of various camera close-ups of William's nude body, culminating in a four second full body shot where he was frontally nude ande fondling his penis [http://www.robbiewilliams.co.uk [1]]. Such blatant incorporation of nudity in an advertising campaign is virtually unheard of forper aun cantante pop singer of either gender.
Williams, nowora aged 31trentunenne, hasha avuto hadproblemi mentaldi healthsalute problemsmentale throughoutdurante his career, most notably his struggle with depression, insecurity ande self loathing. He was reported to be suffering an addiction to anti-depressants innel 2005. In his fly-on-the-wall documentary ''[[Nobody Someday]]'' (2001) he repeatedly mocked his flamboyant butma puppet like behaviour on stage ande felt that the persona ande 'brand' of Robbie Williams Popstar was a fake that he increasingly felt uncomfotable with. In more recent documentaries he anguishes to become a credible artist in the eyes of the serious music press.
Williams is regarded with bafflement by some observers, who note that he seems to have achieved huge success in the UK with only moderate looks, a mediocre singing voice ande an unimpressive musical background. His time as member of a boyband does not seem to have hampered his 'cool' image.
MuchMolto ofdel Williams'successo successdi Williams canpuò beessere attributedattribuito to his 'cheeky chappy' persona ande ironic sensibility much loved by his UK fans. ThisQuesta isè perhapsforse ala majorragione reasonprincipale whyper cui Williams has failed to make any impact in thenegli USA - without appreciating his ironic persona Americansgli seeAmericani himlo asvedono arrogantarrogante ande self-aggrandising. Williams hasha saiddetto in interviewsalcune heinterviste hatesche odia performing, ande compares hisil suo stylestile to old-school UK comedian [[Norman Wisdom]]. Yet UK fans highlight the energy ande entertainment value of his live performances as a major part of his appeal. Others remain unconvinced by what they see as mainly hype.
According toSecondo The Sun, Williams spent £8million 8 milioni on a luxury boys' toy - a top of the range 115ft Athena cruiser from Italy's leading boat company, Riva. His boat can sleep 24 peoplepersone ande that's not even counting the eight crew. Williams felt the boat wasera theil perfectmodo wayperfetto toper disappearscomparire withoutsenza beingessere recognisedriconosciuto.-->
==Discografia==
* ''[[Life Thru A Lens]]'' (1997); #1 UK
* ''[[I've Been Expecting You]]'' #1 UK (1998 (UK) / 2002 (US))
* ''[[The Ego Has Landed]]'' (1999); #63 US (Uscito solo nel nord america) vendite negli USA: 596,.000
* ''[[Sing When You're Winning]]'' (2000); #1 UK, #110 US Vendite negli USA: 134,.000
* ''[[Swing When You're Winning]]'' (2001); #1 UK
* ''[[Escapology (album)|Escapology]]'' (2002); #1 UK, #43 US Vendite negli USA: 137,.000
* ''[[Intensive Care (album)|Intensive Care]]'' (2005); #1 UK, #1 AUS
* Ago 1996 "[[Freedom (canzone)|Freedom]]" UK: #2 GER: #10
'''da ''Life Thru A Lens'' (ande "The Ego Has Landed"):'''
* Apr 1997 "[[Old Before I Die]]" UK: #2 GER: #37
* Giu 1997 "[[Lazy Days]]" UK: #8 GER: #90
* Set 1997 "[[South of the Border (songcanzone)|South of the Border]]" non su "The Ego Has Landed" UK: #14
* Dic 1997 "[[Angels (canzone)|Angels]]" US: #41 UK: #4 GER: #9 FRA: #7
* Mar 1998 "[[Let Me Entertain You]]" UK: #3
'''Da ''I've Been Expecting You'' (ande "The Ego Has Landed"):'''
* Set 1998 "[[Millennium (singlesingolo)|Millennium]]" US: #72 UK: #1 GER: #41 FRA: #16
* Dic 1998 "[[No Regrets/Antmusic]]" UK: #4 GER: #60 FRA: #67
* Mar 1999 "[[Strong (singlesingolo)|Strong]]" UK: #4 GER: #68 FRA: #99
* Nov 1999 "[[She's The One/It's Only Us]]" UK: #1 GER: #27 FRA: #74
* Dic 1999 "[[Win Some Lose Some]]" uscito solo come singolo in Nuova Zelanda
'''Da ''Sing When You're Winning'':'''
* Ago 2000 "[[Rock DJ (singlesingolo)|Rock DJ]]" US Hot Dance Music/Club Play: #25 UK: #1 GER: #9 FRA: #40
* Ott 2000 "[[Kids (singlesingolo)|Kids]]" (withcon [[Kylie Minogue]]) UK: #2 GER: #47
* Dic 2000 "[[Supreme (singlesingolo)|Supreme]]" UK: #4 GER: #14 FRA: #12
'''Da ''Swing When You're Winning'':'''
* Lug 2001 "[[Eternity/The Road To Mandalay]]" UK: #1 GER: #7 FRA: #45
<!--'''Singoli Non-album single:'''
* OctOtt 2001 "We Are The Champions" (withcon i [[Queen (band)|Queen]]) released onlysolo ascome asingolo promo-single
'''FromDa ''Swing When You're Winning'':'''
* DecDic 2001 "[[Somethin' Stupid]]" (withcon [[Nicole Kidman]]) UK: #1 GER: #2 FRA: #16
'''FromDa ''Sing When You're Winning'':'''
* Feb 2002 "[[Better Man]]" released ascome asingolo single onlysolo in Australia
'''FromDa ''Swing When You're Winning'':'''
* Mar 2002 "[[Mr. Bojangles/I Will Talk And Hollywood Will Listen]]" (notnon released innel theRegno UKUnito) GER: #77
* Apr 2002 "Mack The Knife" released ascome asingolo promo-single onlysolo in MexicoMessico
'''Guest appearance on ''[[1 Giant Leap (album)|1 Giant Leap]]'' by [[1 Giant Leap]]:'''
* Apr 2002 "[[My Culture]]" ([[1 Giant Leap]] feat. [[Maxi Jazz]] & Robbie Williams) UK: #9 GER: #69
'''FromDa ''Escapology'':'''
* DecDic 2002 "[[Feel]]" US: #40 UK: #2 GER: #3 FRA: #6 NED: #1 AUS: #10
'''FromDalla colonna sonora di ''[[Johnny English]]'' soundtrack:'''
* MayMag 2003 "A Man For All Seasons" (fromdalla thecolonna soundtracksonora ofdi ''[[Johnny English]]'') released onlysolo ascome asingolo promo-single
'''FromDa ''Escapology'':'''
* Apr 2003 "[[Come Undone (songcanzone)|Come Undone]]" UK: #4 GER: #16 FRA: #49 AUS: #27
* JulLug 2003 "[[Something Beautiful]]" UK: #3 GER: #46 FRA: #70 AUS: #24
'''FromDa ''Live At Knebworth/Live Summer 2003'':'''
* OctOtt 2003 "Feel (Live)" (from thedal "Live At Knebworth") released onlysolo ascome asingolo promo-single
* OctOtt 2003 "Hot Fudge (Live)" (from thedal "Live At Knebworth") released onlysolo ascome asingolo promo-single
'''FromDa ''Escapology'':'''
* Nov 2003 "[[Sexed Up]]" UK: #10 GER: #53
'''FromDa ''Greatest Hits'':'''
* Oct 2004 "[[Radio (song)|Radio]]" UK: #1 GER: #2 FRA: #48
* Dec 2004 "[[Misunderstood (song)|Misunderstood]]" UK: #8 GER: #20
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