.png){kind=small}
For readers who may be discovering you for the first time, how would you describe yourself and your career journey so far?
I’ve been surrounded by music for as long as I can remember. As a child, I loved listening to my mum sing — she had a beautiful voice — and we always had great music playing at home, so I think that love of music was planted in me very early on.
At school I was involved in musicals, and after winning a talent competition I started to take music even more seriously. I went on to study Drama at college until I was 20, and from there I began doing session work and really honing my craft. Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to work across so many different styles — Pop, Soul, Funk, even World Music, which was all before House Music became such a huge part of my life!
I’ve been in various bands, worked with some incredible producers and artists, and gradually built a career that has taken me to some amazing places. A real game changer came when I was 27 and had the hit with Bizarre Inc. That was the moment things changed dramatically for me. It opened the door to television work and, more importantly, meant I could finally give up my part-time catering and cleaning jobs and actually sustain myself professionally as a vocalist. That was a very special moment because music was no longer something I was trying to fit around my life — it had become my life.
There have been so many chapters since then that I couldn’t possibly squeeze them all into one answer, but what I can say is that my career has always been incredibly creative, sometimes completely unexpected, and always driven by my love of music. I’ve self-managed for most of my career, which has taught me an enormous amount about the business as well as the creative side.
These days my husband Mikey manages me, and somehow everything has just clicked into place. After more than 35 years in this business, I feel like I’m in a really exciting chapter of my career — still learning, still creating, still pushing myself and, most importantly, still absolutely loving what I do. So I suppose if I had to describe my journey in a nutshell, I’d say it’s been a long, colourful, slightly bonkers, wonderfully unpredictable love affair with music — and I’m nowhere near finished yet!
You’ve had such a varied career in music and entertainment. What have been some of the highlights that you look back on with the most pride?
There are so many moments I look back on with pride, but one of the most special has to be performing on Top of the Pops in 1992. That was a childhood dream of mine, and what made it even more precious was that both my mum and dad were alive and well to see it happen. I left Drama school when I was around 20, and it took another seven years of working, learning, grafting and believing in myself to get to that moment. I can still remember my mum being on the phone to family afterwards because everyone was so incredibly happy and proud. To be able to give my parents that moment is something I will always treasure.
I’m also incredibly proud to have performed at the Royal Albert Hall. There is something very special about standing on that stage — it’s one of those places where you really feel the history of music around you.
And another unforgettable moment was performing at Downing Street during Gordon Brown’s time as Prime Minister. To go from a little girl dreaming about being a singer to finding myself performing in places like that is something I never take for granted.
But I think what makes me most proud isn’t necessarily the venues or the television appearances. It’s the journey it took to get there. I’ve had to work incredibly hard, keep picking myself up, keep learning and keep believing in myself. After all these years, I’m still here, still singing and still excited about what comes next — and I think that’s something to be proud of too.
What first inspired you to pursue a career in music, and who were some of your biggest influences when you were starting out?
Without a doubt, one of my biggest influences was my mum. I loved her singing voice, it was beautiful. When she was a young woman she used to sing in church, and she had a beautiful, powerful voice. She would sing loudly and confidently above everyone else, and I remember people commenting afterwards about how wonderful her voice was. I loved seeing her receive those compliments, and I think somewhere in my little head I started to understand just how special it was to be able to move people with your voice.
Music was also everywhere around me growing up. I was glued to the television watching all the great artists of the 60s and 70s — The Beatles, Diana Ross, Tom Jones, Dusty Springfield, Lulu, The Osmonds and the Jackson 5. I loved all of it! I’ve always had a very eclectic taste in music. I’ve never really wanted to put myself in one particular box, because for me great music is great music, whatever the genre. I think that’s probably stayed with me throughout my career.
But if I had to choose the person who really first made me want to sing, it would always be my mum. She was the first voice that inspired me, and probably the first person who made me realise that singing could be something really powerful and joyful that you can share with the World.
You’ve built a strong connection with LGBTQ+ audiences. What does the LGBTQ+ community mean to you, and why do you think music is so important in bringing people together?
The LGBTQ+ community means a great deal to me. I feel so much love for them, and I’m grateful for the love and support they’ve shown me throughout my career. I’ve always believed that music should bring people together, not divide them.
I’m colour-blind when it comes to people. I don’t judge anyone by their colour, gender or sexuality — I just see people, and I believe everyone deserves to live freely, peacefully and with love. We’re all human beings, and we should be celebrating what connects us rather than focusing on what makes us different.
That’s what music can do. When people come together at a concert or hear a song that means something to them, all those barriers can disappear. For a few minutes, we’re simply sharing the same feeling, singing the same words and enjoying the same moment.
If my music can help people feel accepted, uplifted and connected, then that means everything to me. I just want to spread love, peace and joy, and I hope my music can continue bringing people together.
Looking back, was there a particular moment in your career when you realised that music could have a real impact on people’s lives?
Oh, yes — absolutely. Yes, yes, yes, all day long! I’ve seen it happen right in front of me. When I’m performing, I can actually feel the energy coming back from the audience. You can see people’s faces change, you can feel the atmosphere lift, and you know that, for that moment, you’ve taken people somewhere else.
It’s also what happens afterwards that really touches me. People will come up wanting selfies, wanting to talk to me, wanting to tell me what the music or the performance has made them feel. And then I’ll see the most beautiful, positive and uplifting comments online afterwards. That’s when you realise that what you do has gone beyond simply singing a song.
Music is incredibly powerful. It can change your mood, lift you when you’re having a difficult day, bring people together and sometimes even give someone a feeling they didn’t know they needed. That’s one of the reasons I still love performing so much. Yes, I’m there to entertain, but if somebody leaves one of my shows feeling happier, lighter, more energised or simply with a big smile on their face, then I’ve done my job. But that’s the magic of music!
What is it like performing for an LGBTQ+ audience, and are there any particular Pride or LGBTQ+ events that stand out in your memory?
Performing for an LGBT audience is incredibly special to me. Manchester Pride was one of the first Prides to book me and bring me on board, and I opened or closed the event for seven years, back before it became bigger and more commercialised and started bringing in more expensive artists.
I’ll always be grateful to Manchester Pride and to John Barry, who championed me back then as one of their favourite artists. They still support me now, which means a great deal. Manchester Pride definitely stands out as my favourite Pride, partly because of that history and because they believed in me so early on.
Of course, I love performing to any audience who appreciates my music, but there’s something particularly powerful about singing to an LGBT audience. I’ve really enjoyed performing “The Real Me”, because it’s a song about refusing to take any more people’s prejudice or negativity. It’s about standing in your truth and not allowing anybody else’s judgement to define you.
That’s been amazing to experience at Pride. You can feel that connection with the audience, because so many people understand exactly what that song is about. We’ve all been there and we’ve all suffered pain at various points in our lives and my LGBTQ plus community have all had to deal with prejudice, judgement or people trying to make them feel that they shouldn’t be their authentic selves.
So, yes, Manchester Pride definitely stands out for me. It has a very special place in my heart, and performing “The Real Me” to that audience has been incredibly meaningful.
Is there a song or performance from your career that holds a particularly special place in your heart — and why?
“I’m Gonna Get You” holds a particularly special place in my heart. It came to light in 1992, and it has supported me ever since. That song has been such a constant throughout my career, and I’m incredibly grateful for everything it has brought into my life.
There’s something very special about performing a song that people have grown up with and still remember and love all these years later. Whenever I sing “I’m Gonna Get You”, I can feel that connection with the audience straight away. People know the words, they sing along, they dance, and you can see the joy on their faces.
It has taken me to so many places and introduced me to so many wonderful people.
It’s also given me the opportunity to keep performing and connecting with audiences over the years, which means more to me than I can really put into words.
I’m so proud of that song and everything it represents. It’s not just a hit from 1992 — it’s been a huge part of my life and has supported me throughout my career. So, yes, “I’m Gonna Get You” will always have a very special place in my heart.
What can fans expect from you over the coming months? Are there any exciting projects, performances or collaborations on the horizon?
There’s lots to look forward to over the coming months. I’m continuing to perform and connect with audiences, and I’m excited about the release of ‘The Real Me’ (TRM) and everything developing around it.
It’s been wonderful to see how warmly the LGBTQ+ community has embraced TRM. And that support means so much to me, because I’ve always felt a strong connection with the community and the people who have supported my music. I love the freedom, and togetherness around TRM, and seeing people make it their own. they’re feeling it and they understand me when I explain what the song is all about and why l wrote it.
So I’m looking forward to sharing more about the project, new music and what’s coming next. I’m so grateful people are still listening and joining me on the journey.So, keep watching this space! There’s plenty more to come, and I can’t wait to share it with everyone.
Finally, what advice would you give to young LGBTQ+ people who are hoping to follow their dreams and make a career in music or entertainment?
Oh, yes—absolutely! My advice is to be kind, encourage others to pursue their dreams and support people in being true to themselves. Not everyone will reach their goals, but if you don’t try, you’ll never know what’s possible.
Be consistent, professional and dedicated—there’s always someone ready to step into your shoes. I respect everyone’s time, energy and investment in me, and I believe that commitment is what gets you noticed.
If you enjoy what you do, create good music and appreciate the opportunity, you’re truly fortunate.
Finally, thank you to Gavin and everyone at the g10 Group I love this community. You’ve always been kind to me so it’s easy to be kind back… Thank you once again for inviting me to do this interview.