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Ericka Ilizabeth Streets (2nd July 1985-c. 9th November 2010) was a Kuboian television personality, singer-songwriter, rapper and actress. She began her career at the age of fourteen, when she became a part-time presenter for Nickelodeon Kuboia, before later expanding her career and releasing music. At the peak of her career, Streets was one the most high-profile individuals in the country of Kuboia, and continues to be one of the most celebrated people from the country.
Early life[]
Ericka Ilizabeth Streets was born on 2nd July 1985 in Reichetto, Dominion of Kuboia (now a part of East Kuboia). Her Scottish-Swedish father Henry Streets (b. 1952) is a retired retail manager, whilst her Dutch-New Zealander mother Ashleigh Smith (b. 1954) is a retired university teacher. She also had an older brother, Hugh Streets (b. 1983).
Growing up whilst Kuboia was transitioning into an independent country, Streets' family struggled both financially and mentally. Her parents separated when she was three years old, and would frequently argue over matters revolving Streets and her brother.
Streets, having been diagnosed with autism at a young age, attended Forestway Primary and Secondary School, where she suffered from frequent outbursts, and had a tendency to bite people and objects when frustrated. The school was later closed in 1997 due to its inadequate education standards, as well as reports of sexual and physical abuse towards several of the children who attended the school, including Streets herself. Streets spent the next year and a half of her life being both unemployed and not in education before her mother put her name down for a presenting role on Nickelodeon Kuboia.
Personal life[]
Streets was a very passionate fan of Kubokartoonz, Nintendo and Disney. According to her family, Streets also enjoyed theatre performances, collecting fashion dolls, colouring and making arts and crafts.
Mental health[]
Streets was diagnosed with autism, obsessive compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder throughout her life. Her agent Dominic Halls hired a professional social worker to "observe" and "monitor" Streets, who would often watch in the background when Streets was working.
At the age of seventeen, Streets moved out of her mother's house into a special sheltered accommodation. In order for Streets to maximise her privacy, she would often get driven to her house in multiple different cars so the paparazzi could not recognise any recurring vehicle. She did not like talking about her autism in public nor in interviews. Tone Riddles expressed in a 2020 interview that he believes that Streets did not have classic autism, but instead had what was originally diagnosed as asperger's syndrome.
Some sources claim that Streets had borderline personality disorder, although she was never diagnosed with said condition in her life.
Relationships and sexual orientation[]
Streets identified as bisexual throughout her life, and some of her songs involved LGBT topics.
From 2002 to 2009, Streets had an intense but inconsistent relationship with Spy Fandel. Speaking about his relationship with Streets in a 2018 interview, Fandel mentioned she was "very controlling". However, he also said "I have a lot of good memories with Ericka, some of which are some of the best moments of my life." Outside of Fandel, Streets struggled to find a romantic partner, though had close friendships with other men that were reported within the media.
Death[]
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In the early hours of 10th November 2010, Streets was found dead in her home by her brother Hugh at the age of 25. Her death was revealed in a Vision News headline at around 6:00a.m. later that day. No cause of death was immediately given other than the fact that she had been struggling with poor mental health for some time. Several of Streets' closest friends and associates had cancelled upcoming public appearances shortly afterwards.
On 13th November, TVVC reported that Streets had committed suicide by hanging. She had allegedly had arguments with several of her closest friends and family in the weeks leading up to her death, including her brother Hugh and ex-boyfriend Spy Fandel. Rapper Kool Teazer, who had collaborated with and been close friends with Streets, noted that "something was not right" when seeing her shortly before her death.
A private funeral for Streets was held in an undisclosed location on 1st December, which was attended by people that were close to her. Her body was cremated shortly afterwards. Streets is the second person to work for TVVC in the 2000s to commit suicide after Aourine Esthers. Several sources showed concern that TVVC may be a "toxic work culture" that normalises and downplays mental health issues.
Public imagery[]
Musical style and influence[]
Streets marketed her music towards children and young people, with material releasd by her often being under the dance-pop, bubblegum pop and novelty music genres. She also incorporated hip-hop elements in several of her songs, including some which prominently featured her rapping. Because of this, Streets was referred to as a lipstick rapper by several media outlets, with Streets also citing herself as one on multiple occasions.
Streets primarily focused on making hit singles and radio songs, with albums generally being an afterthought. She explained this in a 2004 interview saying "I don't really like making albums because then I feel the need to make songs for the sake of it."
Streets took inspiration from music popular amongst children, including from British pop group S Club 7, Danish pop group Aqua, Belgian-Dutch girl group K3 and Australian children's group Hi-5. She also took inspiration from Britney Spears, Billie Piper and Antonia Morales.
Kool Teazer noted that Streets liked to write a lot of her music herself and did not like hiring ghostwriters. He also mentioned how she often liked to divide her lyrics up into sections, with many of her songs featuring a pre-chorus, bridge and middle-eights in addition to the verses and chorus, as well as several ad-libs and background vocals present through her main vocals. Streets preferred to not use autotune in her songs unless it fit the song theme. Teazer also acknowledged that she liked to "overtake" on songs she featured on, stating "if you let Ericka be on your song, it wasn't your song anymore".
Streets had strict rules about making music that was "appropiate", and refused to allow profanity or references to violence on any of her songs.
Fashion[]
Streets normally wore her hair in two pigtail bunches. She also normally wore dark vibrant colours such as magenta, crimson, navy blue and black. Streets was also known for wearing a lot of accessories, such as thick bracelets around her wrists, a necklace around her neck, a belt and a shoulder bag or bumbag which she allegedly rarely carried things in. A BBC article described Streets fashion sense as "a mixture of 1960s go-go fashion with a contemporary (and very girly) touch".
From the age of eighteen, Streets had almost all of her clothes and fashion accessories manufactured and custom-made exclusively for her.
Other ventures[]
Magenta Streets[]
In July 2003, Streets launched her own fashion line, Magenta Streets. The "feminine but unisex" brand sells various clothing and accessories inspired by her own fashion sense. Originally trading only online, the brand opened its first store on 15th November 2003 in Reichetto, with Streets personally appearing to sign autographs. The brand eventually spun off to several chains throughout Europe.
Streets' brother Hugh and her estate have continued to operate the brand after her death, although the former has admitted that he sees Magenta Streets as a "legacy brand" given he does not want to significantly alter the brand's style noting "Ericka would not want anything to be changed". Hugh later revealed in 2024 that the brand has "seen its highest amount of sales in over a decade".
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
- Here We Go: The Album! (2002)
- Ericka Streets (2003)
Singles[]
As lead artist[]
- 2001: "In and Out"
- 2001: "Dizzy"
- 2002: "Here We Go" (feat. Kool Teazer)
- 2002: "Nobody" (feat. Chloe Wallace)
- 2002: "Don't Be Shy"
- 2003: "Ericka's Dance" (feat. Mike Turntables and Kool Teazer)
- 2004: "To the Sky Again" (with Stella C)
As featured artist[]
- 2003: "Seven Days" (Northern Project feat. Ericka Streets)
- 2004: "Dreams" (Iroune Ruby feat. Ericka Streets)
- 2004: "One Plus One" (Cyan River feat. Ericka Streets)
- 2005: "Out of This World" (Stella C feat. Ericka Streets, Iroune Ruby and Frank Weasel)
- 2006: "I Do" (Amy-Elizabeth feat. Ericka Streets)
Other singles[]
- 2003: "Let's Do It"