Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen Star Q&A

Liz Nicholls

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Star Q&A

Liz Nicholls

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Liz Nicholls chats to interior designer, dad & grandad Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, 59, who has helped design Rangeford Villages’ new luxury retirement villages, with his daughter Hermione

Watch the full interview here:

Q. Hello Laurence! How do you like to be addressed?!
“Whoa, gosh that’s such a question. ‘Laurence’ is very cool, I’ve always liked being a Laurence… I was nearly a Lancelot; that was a good swerve to be honest. My father, who hankered thoughts that I’d play rugby for Wales, wanted me to be a Gareth.”

Q. Do people constantly misspell your name?
“Yes, but I’m very relaxed about it. Y’know, ‘Laurence’ is nothing like as complicated as ‘Llewelyn’ so thank the Lord for small mercies! I regret the fact that Dr Johnson brought in spelling. It would all be much better if we just made it all up.”

Q. Can you tell us how you came to lend your peacock flourishes to Rangeford’s new retirement villages in Surrey & the Cotswolds?
“It’s a very organic relationship, happenstance! Rangeford were building in Siddington, on the edge of my village. I work with Hermione and, as an almost 60-year-old myself, I feel the way forward for my generation is to entice people into a relationship with retirement living that’s based much more closely on boutique hotels rather than caravan parks. Just because you’re a specific number, just because you’ve had a specific amount of birthdays, and you have quite so many rings that you can see when you’re cut in half like a tree, that doesn’t mean that the design volume knob should be turned down. Older people are not frightened by design.

This is such an extraordinary odd and Western European attitude! Anywhere else in the world, being senior is seen as a ‘flowering’, as a moment of great accomplishment, a moment when everything you’ve created throughout your life can be celebrated. You celebrate that through colour and commitment, excitement, opulence! Unbeknown to us, that’s absolutely where Rangeford see themselves, too. I found it incredibly refreshing to find a company that understood this. My generation of Boomers who saw the Sex Pistols live don’t want to be shuffled into some ghastly oatmeal trailer park. Actually what we want is somewhere that keeps us active, diverted and alive! So many studies show that the more social contact we have the older we get, the longer we live. So as far as I was concerned it was the creation of a design landscape that drew all its inspiration from contemporary hospitality. I also wanted to reflect a lot of the things I love, especially since this first one was Cotswold-based, and to have a bit of an Arts & Crafts hat on. At the moment people are very interested in this. They see a Brit design legacy that’s not only worth celebrating but ridiculously rare.

We don’t have many things we can put our ‘Britain is Cool’ hat on for, other than William Morris and [Thomas] Chippendale. What William Morris and the Arts & Crafts movement did was incredibly influential throughout the world. It all comes from [Morris’s] love of nature. I think that’s one of the main inspirations from the Rangeford projects: they’re all about the exuberance of nature at its most engorged, its healthiest, its most vibrant, when you get as much chlorophyll as you possibly can. I wanted to create an environment that’s… chlorophyllaceous, if that’s a word! The interesting thing behind all of this, and what’s a big moment for me as an elderly ‘designosaur’ (and also for my business) is the point when Hermione is taking over as that arbiter, that figurehead.

This – we found out recently – is what happened with Williams and May Morris. When May Morris took over the business at the beginning of the 20th century suddenly it became a different and very successful proposition. What Hermione’s been enjoying with the installation in Surrey is that people come over and go “oooh gosh!”. There is that slight assumption that a Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen interior is going to be too tricky to live with, too many notes, too much colour, too stimulating! But this is good in the context of Rangeford. To everyone who’s said ‘ooh I actually love this’ she can say ‘yes that’s because it’s Hermione Llewelyn-Bowen, not Laurence! Hermione believes in a more holistic way. She feels that what she’s doing with my pattern legacy is to create spaces that have energy and vibrancy but aren’t necessarily full of… ‘poisonous looking weedy things’ as she calls them.”

Q. I’ve read that you live with your children & grandchildren, which sounds idyllic! Can you tell us about this multigenerational living arrangement?
“In many ways it’s mirroring what I’m doing with Rangeford. They have this brilliant concept which is to encourage their buyers to see what they’re doing not as ‘downsizing’ but ‘rightsizing’. They want their buyers to think about creating a way of living that’s right for the physical resources they have. And, much more importantly, that hardwires the physical resources they’ll have in ten years or 20 years. What’s important for my generation is that you cannot be in denial about growing older. You cannot keep wearing the sportswear you were wearing when you were 20. You can’t keep the Oasis mullet that you sported when you were 20. You have to go with the flow slightly. Noël Coward had the most brilliant expression: he said you have to invite old age in and give it a cocktail. In other words you make it a very gentle transition rather than a point of crisis, a moment when your life is turned upside down.

And that’s very much what we are doing at home in terms of the way Jackie and I live; we’re occupying a fraction of what was a very large space for us on our own, but we’re tailoring it to suit everything that we enjoy. The other side of the house is lived in by Hermione and her husband and their two children and then Cecily and her husband and their two children live in a garage block on the other side of the courtyard. So we are the rock and roll Waltons! We do have that moment of ‘good night john boy’ and all of that stuff. Our grandchildren are an incredibly important part of our daily lives. Our children are intertwined with everything that we do – we work together and Cecily’s husband Dan is our commercial director, and I’m about to do a big publishing project with Cecile. We are literally living above the shop. That feels like it’s such a strange and anachronistic thing in this day and age but I actually think it’s a natural state of grace. This is exactly how families operated in the world, before the 20th century’s obsession with urbanity forced everyone to abandon the nest and leave it to the old crows, only returning occasionally. We are there supporting each other and it means Cecile and Hermione can spread their wings and be who they want to be. They’ve got the incredible safety net and support of Jackie who’s very much there for the children and for them. Meanwhile, of course for us, a stated scientific fact, people live longer and happier when they have as much access to younger people as possible, rather than being confined to somewhere that’s all about you and your generation. My grandchildren are growing up in an incredibly lively, vigorous space when they have cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, all very much a part of the daily tribe.”

Q. I did laugh when I saw your post on Instagram, saying you and Jackie were in Venice, spending the kids’ inheritance! Are you a romantic couple? And will you be celebrating Valentine’s Day this month?
“We are incredibly romantic. And no, Valentines Day isn’t a big deal. I always feel that if you wait a year to do something romantic and thoughtful you’ve got something wrong there. We’re so lucky, we met each other at 19. So many people we know, in their sixties, they’ve only just met ‘the one’, but they haven’t got much of their life to spend together. We’ve done everything together: we’ve grown up together, we’ve built businesses together, we’ve taken risks, not doing programmes, doing other programmes, putting out product ranges, relaunching wallpaper in 1999, in the absolute teeth of the wallpaper depression when no one was buying wallpaper… I’ve always felt empowered, stabilised to do these things because I had my life, my real life, my home life. I was going home to an incredibly safe and secure environment so I felt safe. It encouraged me to be more ‘me’. This is something my daughters have said: they are now making some exciting decisions about who they are, what they a re and what they do. They’ve got this stable, rock-like foundation to be whoever they want to be. A lot of their friends, people their age, they’re querulous and very uncommitted to trying new things, because they’re still looking for that great relationship. Get on with that! Find the right one who allows you to be who you are!”

Q. You won our hearts on television. Do you watch much telly?
“It makes me laugh with my sons-in-law because they have these enormous televisions, as their generation is wont, which we’re always trying to find concealments for when we’re doing interiors. And yet all these enormous televisions play is Peppa Pig and Bluey: they’re not there to watch international sport or nature documentaries at all. They’re being wasted on computer-generated animation. I rather like Bluey. I find it hard not to watch Bluey without having a little tear. I’m often being crawled on by grandchildren and we all find it very emotional – it’s a powerful watch! Of course, at the moment, we’re all over Jilly Cooper’s Rivals which is about where we live.”

Q. Yes! Rutshire, haha! Do you know Jilly?
“Yes! I was sitting next to her a couple of nights ago, trying to convince her that she was almost certainly related to Daisy May Cooper, which would be two polar opposites here in the Cotswolds. Jilly and I have always got on very very well. I’m ashamed to admit I’ve never read any of her books. Rivals is not only set where we live and reeks horribly true on many social levels but it’s also giving me the most phenomenal PTSD from the 1980s. That was very much an era when Jackie and I were at these parties and doing that naughty thing, and it’s brought it all back, rather…”

Q. Speaking of the 1980s, I wonder whether you think there is such a thing as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ taste?
“Basically, there is no such thing as good or bad taste. This is peculiarly British obsession, one that was created – if you want to be very boring about it – by the Earl of Burlington in 1720. That aside, it’s a class obsession because there was a general indoctrination that supposed that the ‘posher’ you were, the better your taste was, which is absolute rubbish! Particularly if you live in the Cotswolds; the poshest people have the most terrible taste most of time. Taste should always be subjective, in fact taste is a word I’ve never used. Taste suggests, etymologically, that it’s decided by committee. Style is a much more interesting word: it comes from the Latin ‘stylus’ which means pen. It implies that style is something you write, you change to suit yourself, and I think finding your own style is a much more important obsession than trying to achieve good taste. Half the time, particularly in Britain there’s an obsession with taste and avoiding bad taste so that you end up with no taste at all, and that’s absolutely what happened in the ’90s!”

Q. What’s the favourite interior you’ve ever visited, Laurence?
“Oh, big question. I mean, I’ve just come back from Venice, as you say, which has a lot to see. I get very excited by interiors that tell stories, unlike the mass-produced ones with delusions of blandeur! When you see the same kind of colour scheme and the same kind of irritating inability to engage, they’re very unstimulating spaces. Inevitably historical rooms tell you a lot. Venice is a very interesting place because style was always unhindered. You never had to worry about being attacked Barbarians or Goths here because you were in an island in the middle of a lagoon. So you were allowed to show off as much as you bloody well wanted! There was no upper limit to showing off. Meanwhile, you were fantastically wealthy, you had access to incredible craftsmen, incredible artists, incredible materials. So a Venetian room is an act of a self-aggrandisement. And I find it very difficult not to fall in love with that kind of expressive aesthetic.”

Q. If you had a magic wand, what would you wish for?
“For everyone to have a magic wand.”

Q. Do you have a favourite piece of music?
“I like a lot of contemporary film music and gaming music, weirdly, including classical and opera. I continue to be very fond of artists like Goldfrapp. I tend not to like too much pop but my playlist is bonkers and eccentric; it’s like a dressing up box of extraordinary stuff from here there and everywhere.”

Q. Final question! You dress beautifully, including today. Are you always dapper or do you sometimes just chuck a pair of joggers on!?
“No. I will put on pyjamas and a dressing gown which I think is very appropriate. But the current obsession with ‘comfort’, I don’t really understand. Wear clothes that suit you, fit you, and you can keep them on. The idea that you’re just going home to watch Gogglebox is appalling… that was the taste police talking, wasn’t it!”

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Kate Mosse Labyrinth Live Star Q&A

Liz Nicholls

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Star Q&A

Image: Felix Mosse

Liz Nicholls

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Kate Mosse talks to Liz Nicholls ahead of the Labyrinth Live: Unlocking The Secrets of the Labyrinth tour, at a theatre near you between February & April, to mark the 20th anniversary of her bestselling book 

Q. Hello Kate! We’re excited about your live one-women stage show. How are you feeling about it? Do you get nervous?
“It’s exhilarating and, though I will be a little nervous to start with, I can’t wait to get back on stage! I’m a great believer in having a go and trying something new, so when I was offered the chance of a new career as a performer at the age of 62, I took it. Standing in the wings waiting to go on stage, hearing the audience chatting, listening to the music at the top of the show as the lights go down, it’s a buzz like nothing else. I love the anticipation, the excitement and the fact that you’re out there on your own, so you’ve just got to get it right.”

Q. Your amazing book Labyrinth is 20 years old! How do you feel about it now? Did you have an inkling what a success it would be & how it would capture people’s hearts?
“Not at all and, honestly, I still pinch myself at my good fortune. All these years later, I’m still so grateful to all the millions of readers who took Labyrinth to their hearts. It’s one of the reasons I’m going on tour, to say thank you to everyone who made the book a success. Even now, people still come up and tell me ‘their’ Labyrinth story – where they first read it and what it means to them – and that is very humbling. It’s a great opportunity for me to revisit the novel, too, and remind myself of how the characters first came to life.”

Q. Can you tell us about some of the secrets you’ll be unlocking, including the modern-day Grail legends I’ve heard about?
“I don’t want to give too much away obviously, but the show will be a fully immersive, atmospheric, theatrical performance. I’ll be using film, video, music, lights, props, special effects to bring medieval Carcassonne to life and help the audience feel that they are there in the heart of the story. We’re putting it together now and it’s going to be an incredible experience from the second audiences set food in the theatre until the moment when the lights go up at the end of the show. I’ll be sharing the inside story about the writing of the novel itself – my inspirations, how the characters came to life, the landscape of Languedoc – but also revealing the real history that lies behind Labyrinth: so, Nazi Grail hunters, hieroglyphs and Ancient Egypt, Grail legends past and present, the mythology of labyrinths, the medieval crusades against the Cathars, the history of Carcassonne to name just a few of the elements of the show. I want people to come out buzzing with a sense of time-travel and that they have spent the last few hours walking in the footsteps of the people of the past. It’s going to be a special night out!”

Q. Could you tell us a bit about your writing process please? Especially where your sparks of ideas come from?
“For me, everything I write – fiction, non-fiction, theatre – all starts with a sense of place. So, with Labyrinth, it was arriving in Carcassonne for the first time in 1989 on a misty, November’s night and falling head-over-heels in love. From the medieval citadel to the river that runs through the town, from the history and mystery of the region to the terrible stories of religious persecution and the courage of those who stood against the crusade, from the mountains and beautiful valleys to the blue Midi sky in summer, Languedoc is the landscape of my imagination. That’s when the ‘whispering’ begins, the idea that here in this particular place there is a story and characters just waiting for me to come and along and start writing.”

Q. Did you enjoy school?
“I loved it. I was a bit of a loner, a bit of a fish-out-of-water, but through music, history, drama, English, RE, all the arts subjects really, I found my tribe. I loved arriving early and staying late in the library after school (partly to avoid the cool girls who hung around at the bus station with their boyfriends), which meant I got a lot of homework done.”

Q. Were there any teachers or books that you studied that made a mark?
“I was lucky enough to have a brilliant Latin teacher – she taught us about the politics of Ancient Rome, as much as the language and poetry – and fabulous history, music and English teachers. They all were inspirational and taught me to look beyond the obvious to find the hidden story beneath the headlines.”

Q. If you were in charge of schools, what changes do you think would be a good idea?
“I think all young people should study history – the roots of what is happening in the world today can be found in the past, especially when you look at the lives of women and girls. Unless we know where we have come from, and how we have got here, then we don’t have the tools we need to make sense of the present and make things fairer and more equal. I’m an idealist – I still think that, together, we can create a happier and more gentle world.”

Q. How do you unwind? Do you watch television? If so any favourites? Or films?
“Talking! I unwind with family and friends, sitting round the kitchen table gossiping and putting the world to rights. From time to time, I’ll get hooked on a box set – I’ve just (finally) watched all of Downtown Abbey – but reading is my main relaxation. I’m a big fan of Golden Age detective stories – Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Josephine Tey, Dorothy L Sayers – and like nothing more than being in bed at 8.30pm with a cup of tea and a novel! Not very rock and roll, but then…”

Q. What’s your favourite piece of music?
“So many to choose from, depending on my mood. But the elegiac, beautiful second movement of Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G would be high on the agenda, as would Dancing Queen by ABBA.”

Q. How do you take good care of your health, including your mental health?
“I’m a keen walker, though not particularly speedy. So, whenever I’m feeling out-of-sorts, or tired, I’ll put on my trainers and head out into the wonderful Sussex countryside where I love, or into the mountains and hills of Carcassonne when we’re on holiday. There’s very little that can’t be solved by a dollop of fresh air and just listening to the natural world around you.”

Q. Is there anything you eat/ don’t eat?
“Since the age of nine or 10, I’ve been vegetarian – no meat, no fish – and I’m a big carbs girl. I could live on baked potato and Marmite toast, though of course I make sure to have my five fruit-and-veg a day (if my doctor is reading this!)”

Q. Do you feel optimistic about 2025? Anything you’re looking forward to later this year?
“Despite everything, I remain an optimist, yes. I think we have to look forward and travel hopefully. So, as well as the Labyrinth Live Theatre Tour, I’m looking forward to publishing my first YA book. It’s called Feminist History for Everyday of the Year and it’s a book for girls (and boys!) aged 14-18 celebrating a different amazing woman each day who changed history. That will be out in September. Then we’ll be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Women’s Prize for Fiction and the second anniversary of the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction. After that, in between being granny to my wonderful grandson, I’ll start dreaming, planning and writing my new series of books. It’s going to be busy, but that’s how I like it.”

Labyrinth Live: Unlocking The Secrets of the Labyrinth will visit the Theatre Royal Winchester on 8th March, The Theatre Chipping Norton on 13th March, The Waterside, Aylesbury on 22nd March & more. To book your tickets or find out more please visit Kate Mosse

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Wycombe Swan panto star Vernon Star Q&A

Liz Nicholls

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Star Q&A

Liz Nicholls

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Liz Nicholls chats to Radio 2 star & dad Vernon Kay who stars in Aladdin at Wycombe Swan, 13th December to 5th January

Watch the interview here – Spotlight • Round & About Magazine

Hi Vernon! What’s your first panto memory?
“I didn’t go as a kid, although I loved doing the Christmas play at school. But we made a point of taking our kids to the pantomime and we came here to see Shane Ritchie a few years back in Dick Whittington… Shane loves Dick! I didn’t need convincing to do panto, but Shane nudged me, he always said, ‘oh, you’ll love it, it’s hard work, but it’s the best’. And he’s right! When I did Cinderella two years ago, I had so much fun. It’s nerve-wracking at first, but then you get addicted to it. Panto is a pivotal part of people’s Christmas calendars.”

Q. How does it affect your Christmas plans?
“Well Christmas kind of goes on hold with pantomime because you only get Christmas Day off. Two years ago I spent all afternoon in bed because I was so tired. I love Christmas dinner, though, so I won’t be missing that! No, I won’t be getting a takeaway instead, we’ll just do the prep the night before. So, if we get a chance, I’ll be peeling spuds and carrots when I get back, to have it all ready for Christmas Day. But we do go all in: the whole shebang – we really enjoy Christmas, it’s good fun.”

Q. You’ve got two dogs?
“Yes: a Chihuahua and a Maltese Shih Tzu. They’re awesome! It’s strange if you lie on the sofa and a dog doesn’t come and nuzzle you, all snuggly.”

Q. Did you listen to the radio growing up?
“Yeah, my dad’s a lorry driver so the radio was always on! My dad was also in a band so he always learning songs too. I’ve got fun memories of listening to Steve Wright. And then from my late teenage years, it was always Chris Evans. I loved his rock and roll attitude of screw it, let’s do it. This is always at the forefront of my mind at work now!”

Q. Do you love life in Bucks? “Yeah, even if we’re out much less than when we first moved here 20 years ago. It’s less big nights out in the Crazy Bear now & more a lovely Sunday roast at the pub! So many good ones round here…” 

Q. Do you still love the Bolton Wanderers? “Yeah, big fan! There’s always a couple of jokes in the panto because we have the Wycombe Wanderers, too. Yeah, I do like my football.” 

Q. Who was your hero growing up? And now? “My dad’s always been pretty cool, and mum. In more recent years, maybe Tom Brady, the American footballer who used to play for the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I think he’s got this perfect mindset. He’s the closest athlete that I’ve found who’s discovered the formula to winning, which I think is pretty special. It’s all about mindset and focus, which I admire.” 

Q. Do you feel good about 2025? “2025 is going to be a really good year, because of the Oasis reunion. The energy we had in the 1990s, with a bit of rock and roll thrown in there, I think there’s going to be that attitude among the young people of Great Britain. Hopefully we’ll get some of that rebellion back that we’re renowned for! It’s funny but the reunion of these two estranged brothers means a lot. The government have said there are tough times ahead. But I think 2025 socially will bring a good tide of change. And as for me personally, yes – just more of the same, please!” 

Q. If you could rub your magic Christmas lamp, what would you wish for? “More good news for everyone. We’re submerged in so much bad news, in negativity, and I think just people deserve more good news and hope, please, that’s all. More happy vibes.” 

Book Aladdin tickets | Wycombe Swan Theatre

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Star Q&A with Craig Revel Horwood

Round & About

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Star Q&A

Round & About

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Director & choreographer of NOW That’s What I Call A Musical gives us an insight into the stage show

Q. What sort of night are audiences in for when they come to see NOW That’s What I Call A Musical?
“They can expect some fantastic tunes, a blast from the past, some amazing dancing, some great singing and a great story. It’s a little bit like Stephen Sondheim’s Follies in the fact that it’s set at a reunion and there are flashbacks. The main characters flash back to how they were as teenagers, the music they listened to back in the 80s and the things that led them to live their lives the way they have. It explores all of that and we also have a twist towards the end where we go ahead in time too. It goes through various time zones [laughs] so it’s a little bit like Back To The Future.

Q. How does it tie in with the NOW brand?
“The flashbacks are all about the time when the NOW albums were so famous and so beloved, and the story is about two girls exploring how they’ve lived their lives through music. So those albums and that music were a big part of the leading characters’ teenage years.

Q. The show is written by Pippa Evans. How is it collaborating with her?
“She’s fun and she’s funny. She’s got a really great sense of humour and she’s a fantastic writer, not to mention a fantastic comic writer. She’s come up with some great twists in the tale and she’s quite sensitive as a writer towards teenage girls and their relationship with their parents – whilst they’re growing up.

Q. It’s a brand new musical. That must be an exciting thing to be a part of?
“It’s really exciting because with a brand new musical there’s nothing to really base it on, so when you get into the rehearsal room you can be really creative and you have an open mind. That’s what I love about doing new work. With this it’s about weaving all the great songs through the story. That’s one the challenges, as well as making sure the story is strong. Comedy is a huge element in the show as well as a lot of heartfelt moments, and we’re using songs from the 80s to help push the story forward. There are so many creative opportunities with a new show and when I’m directing I really let everyone have a bit of a say, We all create the show together in the room and I think that’s really important. The actors can bring their creativity and their thoughts and ideas for the characters, then it’s about structuring it.

Q. How are the guest artists like Sinitta, Sonia, Carol Decker and Jay Osmond weaved in the story?
“[Laughs] It’s sort of a moment of madness really, where the musical goes into a little bit of fantasy. The singers the girls idolised and were totally in love with come to life to offer them wisdom and advice. It’s a bit like Beauty School Dropout from Grease only the advice they give is much kinder!”

Q. Why do you think pop music is so important to everyone’s lives?
“The 80s was a great time for pop and music in general helps people through lots of emotional journeys in their lives, especially with teenagers because their hormones are running riot. As an older person you look back to those moments that made you happy and music is a huge part of that. This show taps into nostalgia but it will also appeal to younger audiences because a lot of the 80s tunes are coming back or they’ve been covered by other artists. There’s something in it for absolutely everyone and I think teenagers will associate with the two girls – how they’re living their lives, their hopes and their dreams, and their aspirations – as much as adults will. Those are themes that are universal.

Q. NOW That’s What I Call Music is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Why do you think it’s such an iconic brand?
“Again it’s because music is so important to people’s lives and also the NOW albums first came along at a time when people would make compilations for friends and lovers. They were like ready-made mixtapes, where you’d ger so many amazing hits on one album, cassette tape or on CD whereas before you’d have to buy individual singles or albums. I think a lot of teenagers now will be shocked and surprised that we had tape decks back in the day! Before the NOW albums you’d wait for a song to come on the radio, then record it onto a cassette, and you’d never manage to get the full version of it.

Q. What was the first single and the first album you ever bought?
“The first single I ever bought was Monster Mash, bizarrely, when I was growing up in Australia. And I think the first album I totally fell in love with was Dare by the Human League. I loved all the songs on that album, the tone of it and the freedom of it. It was like a whole new experience because it was so modern.

Q. Which pop pin-ups did you have on your wall during the 80s?
“Coming after ABBA and going into the 80s it was Whitney Houston because I thought ‘How can someone sing like that and look like that?’ She was like a supermodel with this incredible voice. I loved Annie Lennox and the Eurythmics as well, plus Duran Duran.

Q. What were your 80s fashion choices?
“I used to have headbands and I had a long side parting, sort of like curtains. Looking back, my fashion was pretty bad actually but of course at the time I thought was cool. I used to tie rags around my feet as well, around my calves, over my boots. It was a bit weird. I never got completely punky with it but I used to love that trendy headband and long hair combination. That and baggy jeans.

Q. Have you ever met any of your popstar idols? And who would you most like to meet?
“I’ve met Boy George, who was a real inspiration to me growing up. I just loved how outspoken he was and how he dressed. I’ve met him a few times actually and he’s great company. I got to meet Whitney Houston before she died, which was amazing, and Olivia Newton-John. I’ve also met Liza Minnelli, Bette Midler, Annie Lennox… quite a few people, in fact. I haven’t met Barbra Streisand yet but I’d really like to because I’ve been listening to her music my entire life.”

Q. You work a lot of TV but what do you most love about the theatre?
“I grew up with theatre and the first show I saw was Jesus Christ Superstar. Then I became a professional dancer and my first musical was West Side Story. I’ve been in the theatre all my life really and I’ve never, ever given it up. I’ve either been directing, choreographing, dancing performing or whatever. My favourite thing is directing and choreographing. I only started performing for panto, then in 2015 I was asked to do Annie and this year I’m doing The Wizard Of Oz as the Wicked Witch. I love performing but, as I say, directing and choreographing is what I enjoy the most.

Q. What do you hope people take away from seeing NOW That’s What I Call A Musical?
“I think people will learn something about themselves. The story will prompt them to reflect on their lives to date and how it’s all worked out for them – what their hopes and aspirations were and how that fuelled whatever passion they had to help them because who they are today. People will see themselves in the show and that’s one of the many things that’s really great about it, along with the story, the costumes, the dancing, the comedy and all that fantastic music.

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Star Q&A with chef Clodagh McKenna

Liz Nicholls

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Star Q&A

Liz Nicholls

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Irish chef, author & TV star Clodagh McKenna tells Liz Nicholls a few of her favourite things

Q. Hello Clodagh! Can you tell me a bit about favourite food memories from childhood?
“Baking on a Saturday morning with my sisters, the tea brack was a favourite bake, and I now have it on my online bakery and we deliver them across the UK!”

Q. What’s your favourite cookbook & why?
“Any of Darina Allen’s cookbooks. Her recipes always work, she is the queen of recipe writing.”

“Darina Allen is the queen of recipe writing”

Q. What was the first recipe you cooked that really struck you as a great succeess?
“Making fresh pasta when I lived in Italy. Taking eggs and flour and making something so delicious!”

Q. What’s your favourite of kitchen kit?
“My zester; I take it everywhere with me, even on holidays! I love zesting limes and lemons in recipes, and I also love wispy gratings of parmesan cheese. I sell my zester in my online store [Clodagh McKenna].”

Q. What advice would you have for any parent out there who thinks ‘I can’t cook’?
“Decide on one night a week that you are going to cook, and try a new recipe each time. Soon you have a whole bank of recipes that you are good at! My book In Minutes is brilliant for any starter cooks.”

Q. What was your first experience in the This Morning Studio like?
“Exciting is the word that springs to mind, and grateful is the second. Excited to get the chance (now every week!) to cook to 3-4 million viewers, and grateful for the opportunity to do so.”

Q. Is there any food stuff you just can’t stand (your “hell”), no matter who cooks it?
“Highly processed foods in general, and non-organic meat.”

Q. Which are your favourite pubs or restaurants?
“I love The River Café in London and The Devonshire Arms in Soho.”

Q. What would your last meal be? And/ or what’s your “guilty pleasure”?
“Irish oysters, Dover sole and a tiramisu! My guilty pleasure is chocolate and red wine.”

Q. Have you ever had any weird, foodie fan mail!?
“Yes all the time! But I don’t mind too much…. I am always grateful that someone takes the time to write to me.”

Q. Did you enjoy school?
“Yes, it was a long time ago!”

Q. What do you think schools could do to involve kids in cooking more?
“A class every week on learning cooking skills should be part of the curriculum.”

Q. What one invention would radically improve the quality of your life?
“If I could pause time so that there are more hours in the day, wouldn’t that be amazing?!”

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Towersey Festival Q&A with Billy Bragg

Liz Nicholls

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Liz Nicholls chats to singer songwriter and activist Billy Bragg who will star at the last ever Bucks highlight Towersey Festival – the 60th highlight – from 23rd to 26th August, and urges you to book your tickets

Q. Hi Billy, how are you?
“Not too bad thank you. I wish the weather was a bit better! As we’re into festival season and it’s a bit worrying. The likes of Glastonbury [where Billy helps curate the Leftfield stage] is always fine as they’re sort-of recession-proof but it’s the smaller festivals like Towersey which are hard hit. Near me where I live there’s the Tolpuddle Martrys festival in Dorset and it was cancelled because of torrential rain. The damage that does to the logistics of a small festival run by people who love music like Towersey is huge. I feel for the volunteers and audience too. I’ve been doing festivals for 40 years and it has to be climate change. The folk audience are generous, and the ones that have a tradition going, you’re coming together with people who maybe only see each other once a year. The nice thing about a folk festival is you can wander round, get a pasty and a beer and people are groovy about it. It’s not like some mad festival where people are charging around to the next mosh pit: the worst thing that can happen to you is you might get knocked over by some Morris dancers… but you generally hear them because they’ve got bells on. Let’s give Towersey a great send-off, shall we?!”

Q. What’s your first memory of music?
“We went to Blackpool for a holiday and stayed with a cousin of my dad’s, this has to be 1963/64 judging by the photos, as my brother was a baby. They had a record player which we didn’t have at home, and a record called The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen, which I was obsessed with, and played over and over again! It’s a dreadful old song but it kind of connected with me in some deep emotional place, and from then on I was really into music and my parents recognised this. When I was 12 they bought me a reel-to-reel tape machine for Christmas so I could tape stuff off the radio.”

Q. You read a poem out at school didn’t you?
“Yes, I read a poem out in English language and got called out of class by the teacher: they asked my parents if I’d copied it out of a book! So I wrote to a local radio station and it was the first time I thought ‘this is something I could actually do’.”

Q. What’s your favourite lyric…
“And take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind, Down the foggy ruins of time, Far past the frozen leaves, The haunted frightened trees, Out to the windy beach, Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow, Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky, With one hand waving free, Silhouetted by the sea, Circled by the circus sands, With all memory and fate, Driven deep beneath the waves, Let me forget about today until tomorrow... Yeah Mr Tambourine Man [by Bob Dylan] really brought me into the idea that poetry and songwriting was the same thing. That stayed with me for a long time.”

Q. You love Woody Guthrie too don’t you?
“Yeah, he was a massive influence on Bob Dylan. Until I was 14 or 15 you couldn’t really find Woody’s records… in Barking anyway. Eventually I picked up a cassette. It wasn’t until I went to America 40 years ago that I was finally able to really connect with Woody and hear his voice clearly, rather than second hand from people who covered his songs.”

Q. Do you have a big vinyl collection?
“I have loads of vinyl but no record player. It’s a terrible thing to admit but my son took the record player when he moved out which is fair enough. But if I get the urge to listen to a song I can usually find it online, on one of the streaming services. I’m never without music!”

Q. Do you and your son share any musical tastes?
“Yeah, he does turn me on to people like Jamie Webster. And he and I shared a lot of musical loves when he was younger. When we went to college in Yeovil and came back and said ‘Dad, tell me, why has nobody at college heard of The Skids?’ And I thought oh, damn, I wonder if I’ve given him a musical education that’s not quite age-specific for him, the poor lad! He’s a huge Ramones fan, and because he’s out on the circuit he sees a lot of brands and he does trip me up to some of that.”

Q. Who was your hero growing up?
“In those times it was music that had the ability to articulate the ideas that could bring about change. The people I was listening to were people like Marvin Gaye, the Clash, the Jam to some extent… That seemed to be a time when change was very much in the air. Are there bands like that now? I’m not sure but then again music is no longer the vanguard medium of youth culture. Back in the late 20th century music was the only medium available to us if we wanted to talk about the way the world was. It allowed us to talk to our parents’ generation as well, let the world know how you feel. Now, if you want to let the world know how you feel there are social media platforms, you can make a film with your phone. I don’t think people now immediately think of writing songs as the route to get their voice heard. I don’t think music has that dominant role any more. It still has a role to play but it doesn’t sum up the feelings of an entire generation the way it used to.”

Q. Do you have a favourite book?
“Yeah, I do: The Lion and the Unicorn by George Orwell. It was written during the second world war, and Orwell struggles to reconcile his left-wing beliefs and socialism with the patriotic necessity of winning the war. He has to come to terms with that and ask himself what he loves about England. The subtitle of the book is Socialism and the English Genius and I first read it in the 1980s and since then I’ve gone back to it many times. 1984 is another book that you can keep going back to. Every decade I have a run-in with it and realise it’s about something else. Is it really about spin rather than dictatorship? Is it about fake news? It is isn’t it!? The way that truth has become untethered from fact, which is what we’ve seen in the last few years, with the Johnson premiership and Trump in America. It resonated with me in a way it hadn’t before. A great novel can do that, it can change with the times.”

Q. If you had a magic wand what would you wish for?
“I’d like to see Arsenal relegated. I’d like to live long enough to see that, yeah! That would really cheer me up.”

Q. Haha! What would you do if you were education minister?
“Pay teachers more. They do a great job, teachers. For some reason I get a lot of them at my gigs. Young people, if they recognise me, which they seldom do, they say ‘oh my teacher says you’re great’. I much admire teachers. I think they have a much greater chance of changing the world than I will ever have as a musician. So investment in teachers is an investment in our future, in our young people. Teachers now are not only having to deal with education, they’re also having to deal with helping young people with their anxieties or mental health problems. They’re almost like glorified social workers. We need a much greater social care regime. The police the same, they spend so much time doing things that we as a society should undertake, looking after people who’ve fallen through the gaps of the system. The police should be able to be out chasing criminals instead of helping people who can no longer cope in our society. Those people have always been there but there are more now. I do a bit of work sometimes getting guitars into prisons. Prison is the last place that can’t say no. Hospitals can say no, schools can say no and expel you. Social care can say no. Prison can’t, that’s why they’re over-full. That’s not a society that’s healthy. It needs a lot of thought about how we do something about that to help.”

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Star Q&A with Dizzee Rascal

Liz Nicholls

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See full interview featured on Spotlight: A Diary for the South East

Liz Nicholls shares a chat with Dizzee Rascal MBE who headlines Party In The Paddock at Newbury Racecourse on Saturday, 17th August

Q. Hi Dizzee… What shall I call you: Dizzee, Dylan…?
“You can call me whatever you like. I’m the only one on this call.”

Q. What do your mates call you?
“I dunno! Haha!”

Q. How are you?
“Yeah good. Sorry I’m late I’m in the studio with Turno. It’s going to be a bit of a drum and bass banger. It’s got slap, yeah.”

Q. You’re starring in Northampton as well as Newbury. What’s on your set list?
“Bangers! Ebbs and flows but bangers. The classics, some old some new, maybe a few exclusives. High energy, that’s what I like. The more I’ve gone along in my career the more I’m running and jumping – it works for the crowd. The whole point of doing the show is to bring the music to life, otherwise people will just stay at home and listen. It’s quite a dynamic set. I know that every time I step on stage, that might be the one time that people get to see me, what I’m about, and it’s supposed to be a celebration. And then you get the few people who are regulars: one girl told me she’d seen me 16 times. Which is another good reason to freshen up the show sometimes. It’s a bit of a different venue, Newbury, but I’ve done a couple of racecourses before,”

Q. Do you have a flutter?
“No I don’t. I rode a horse once, though. In some country manor, I think it was New Year’s Eve. I woke up with my girlfriend at the time and I’d booked horse riding, because I thought it would be romantic and fun. I turned out to be really good at it! I was at one with the horse that morning – I was a natural! I never did it again, though!”

Q. What do you have on your rider?
“Honey and lemon for my throat, as I shout a lot, and some fruit. There’s always some beers for everyone else. Nothing crazy – my rider’s the most basic, nothing too mad. No all blue M&Ms or any *** like that! I’ve managed to be around this long by not being a prick with the festivals and to the people involved. It helps!”

Q. What’s your first memory of music?
“Whatever was on telly, Top of the Pops. And the first live music I would have seen was in church – the church band. I was always into music. I used to lock into pirate radio. If it weren’t for pirate radio I wouldn’t be here now.”

Q. Do you listen to radio now?
“Yeah sometimes. My go-to is Spotify or whatever I’m making. But the radio does pop on sometimes when I’m in the car: Radio One Extra.”

Q. Who were your heroes growing up?
“Well, my mum – now I’m older I understand all the sacrifices she made for me. Snoop Dogg, Tupak, Kurt Cobain; I love Nirvana and I was a massive Guns N Roses fan growing up. Bruce Lee, too.”

Q. Your new album Don’t Take It Personal – are you proud of it?
“As proud as I am of all my albums. I did it all independently in the studio here, at home. It was nice to go back out, do pop-ups and shows. Every time I put an album out the game’s changed a bit so it’s navigating that as well. Overall it’s been so positive, number one in the independent charts and the hip hop & R&B charts. Which was a nice touch, well received by the fans as well.”

Q. Do you have any surprising fans?
“I guess when really young kids seem to like my music, especially Bassline Junkie. Mad, as it was made in 2011! Overall I don’t make a lot of music for little kids, I just try to put a positive vibe out there, that’s all. Music doesn’t have an age range except for the obvious stuff like Barney The Dinosaur or whatever which I am not! But it’s not like kids don’t understand rhythm and melody, they just decide what they like.”

Q. Who would be your dream collabs?
“That’s a good question. Jack White would be an interesting one to be in the studio with; he’s a genius. I was riding around Brixton listening to Tale Impala yesterday, thinking I missed the boat on that one, unlike Rihanna! Properly well written, well produced music. I watched a documentary thing he put out a little while ago where he was making the album, I didn’t know anything about him until Rihanna covered that song.”

Q. Have you ever been starstruck?
“A few times! When I met Dave Grohl, he was amazing. Jay Z. Anthony Kedis from Red Hot Chilli Peppers, I toured with them, great people. I met The Undertaker once. I was hassling him for an autograph in the gym, Berlin I think it was. That was a fun moment!”

Q. How about Snoop?
“Ahh yeah, how could I forget Uncle Snoop? That’s my first hero, before everyone. I met him twice and was able to tell him how much he’s inspired me over the years, and then I rapped one of my favourite Snoop songs to him. Then I did what you’re supposed to do with Snoop Dogg, obviously, haha!”

[Gets attacked by a giant hornet in the studio]

Q. Apart from bees do you have any animals in your house?
“I’ve got some koi. A couple of sturgeon. I don’t really do pets.”

Q. Are there any acts of festivals you’re looking forward to this year?
“Without sounding like an arse**** I don’t really go to festivals unless I’m working there. I usually just pull up before, I don’t hang around too long because I don’t want to get distracted. I don’t like waiting around.”

Q. Any up-and-coming acts you love worth a shout out?
“Yeah I just did another track with Turno, with a girl called Queen Mills and Rose. Also LZEE, he’s doing his thing right now. Kwengface, he’s in prison at the moment but he’ll be home at some point – I really like him. And obviously Turno!”

Q. I love a bit of drum and bass, don’t you?
“Yeah, to be fair that’s how I started. I started DJing when I was 13 or 14, jungle records. Then I started MCing, which is so hard with drum and bass. Then I started MCing over garage a bit. Then I started making my own stuff which is what ended up being called grime with the likes of Wiley and Terra Danger who doesn’t get mentioned enough actually.”

Q. Have you been enjoying the sport this summer?
“I watch boxing whenever it’s on. I usually watch it with David Hay which is always good! You’ll start saying s*** thinking you’re an expert and then every now and then you get reminded, he’s the expert. What’s funny is he’ll be watching it, we’ll be talking and everyone trying to chime in, then he’ll get the phone out and go to Stories and putting his two-pence in, so everyone just shuts up. But it’s amazing because he’s a legend, former heavyweight cruiserweight legendary boxer, and he’s sitting with us!”

Q. What invention would radically improve the quality of your life?
“A money machine! Does everyone say that?! No? Is that just me? God damn, I might be on to something. Maybe a device that brings the song I’m hearing in my head, as I hear it, and it’s just out, done, bang! But then that would probably take the fun out of it, right?”

Visit Horse Racing At Newbury Racecourse UK | Newbury Racecourse

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Star Q&A with Sharron Davies MBE

Liz Nicholls

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Liz Nicholls chats to Sharron Davies MBE as she looks forward to The Olympic Games – her 13th – starting later this month in Paris

Watch & listen to Liz Nicholls catch up with Sharron Davies on our podcast, Spotlight: The Diary for the South East, OUT NOW on YouTube.

Q. Hello Sharron! Who are your Team GB ones to watch?
“Well they’ve got a tall order because Tokyo was the most successful Olympic games for the British swimming team for 100 years. So it’s going to be very tough for them to be as successful but I expect them to be very close to it because they’ve got a very strong team, particularly the men. Adam Peaty seems to be back on track which is good news for the British team because what happens on day one sets the tone. We also have Tom Dean and Duncan Scott. Daniel Wiffen stands a very good chance in the 200m – we like to see the Irish doing well, too, don’t we? The girls are going to have it a little bit tougher. They had good trials and we have a couple of world champions going into this with Laura Stevens and Freya Colbert. But I think the Canadians, Americans and Australians will bring another level.”

Q. Will you be in Paris for the whole games?
“Yes, I’ll be poolside covering the swimming throughout and then I’ve wangled a couple of days at the end to see a bit of track and field with my 17-year-old. This will be my 13th Olympic Games! I entered my first junior international a 11 and my first Olympics at 13.”

Q. You were great as Amazon on Gladiators! Do you watch much TV?
“I do: mostly live sport and Netflix. And, most people don’t know this about me but I’m a big Star Trek fan! I love anything that depicts us living in harmony, all shapes and sizes from all sorts of places. I love the idea we might be able to do this one day.”

Q. Who were your heroes growing up?
“The Mirror used to fly in swimming superstars. I met Johnny Weissmuller & Shane Gould. And I remember watching Mark Spitz with his famous moustache & seven medals. Also David Wilkie, who sadly died recently, was a great inspiration to me and, later, a friend. I have many female heroes. We appear to be living in a much more misogynistic world right now & those pushing back for fair & equal opportunities for our girls I admire on a daily basis. I can’t say I even thought of myself as a feminist until recently, but regressive stereotypes & social media are making life much harder for young females.”

Q. Where do you like to swim?
“Aha, well I don’t swim often these days because swimming has ruined my shoulders! Swimming wears your rotator cuffs out – that’s our injury. If I’m on holiday and I’m on a beach and it’s lovely, I’m in the water but I don’t use swimming to keep fit. I’m cycling or in the gym four times a week.”

Q. What tips would you give anyone who wants to get fit & healthy?
“It’s never too late! You can make a radical difference with tweaks. It’s all about consistency, mobility, your core. We need to put a little stress on our joints as well, particularly as women, to avoid osteoporosis. Silly stuff like climbing stairs instead of escalators or lifts. Just do all of those things automatically. My dad is 88 and I always say to him, whether you’re getting on and off your sofa to do two squats every single time. And when you’re there making your cup of tea, stand on one leg. Obviously hold on to something supportive if you need but balance as we age is really important because once you start to get into your 80s, if you fall over and break a hip, it’s massive. And that’s all down to core stability and balance and we don’t tend to look after that. What’s really interesting is that Japanese people have hardly any of the hip issues we have because they’re constantly getting up and down off the floor so their core stability is so much better than ours.”

Q. What about eating, Sharron? Is there anything you do or don’t eat?
“There’s nothing that’s off the agenda, I just tend not to eat unhealthily regularly and I would say little tips like making sure you eat colourful food works really well. Nearly all beige and bland food isn’t good for us. Processed sugar is the devil and it creeps into everything these days, especially ready meals! I don’t drink very much, never have. I’ve never smoked. I’m a morning person so I go to bed reasonably early and like to be up and get going – I think that’s a knock-on of having to get up at 5am for training from such a young age! Alcohol has hidden calories which are easy to forget about. And try not to eat really late as well. It’s slowing your metabolism down filling your belly and going to bed is not good for your digestive system.”

Q. Do you still love dogs?
“Yes, we’ve got two: Flash the blind Basset Hound is very unflash; my son named him! And Ed the dachshund.”

Q. You’re a grandmother now aren’t you?
“I am – that’s who I’m out with today. I’ve got a granddaughter who’s four and a grandson who’s four months. It’s a cliché but it’s so much easier than being a mum because you can just hand them back. I love it! I often have Ariya on a Friday and it’s my favourite day of the week. We live in a very fast world and we often don’t live in the moment. When I’m with my granddaughter I have to live in the moment. She wants me to draw pictures with her and throw a ball and do all sorts of innocent things. You have to put your mobile down and turn the TV off and give them a bit of time and effort – that’s really all they want.”

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Q&A with music legend Chaka Khan

Liz Nicholls

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Liz Nicholls shares a chat with singer Chaka Khan who will star at Nocturne Live at Blenheim in June & Love Supreme festival in Sussex in July

Q. Hi Chaka, wonderful to talk to you! What’s your first memory of music?

“Hello! I was lucky to be born to parents who are artists. I recall hearing a lot of opera and jazz growing up: Billie, Ella… my father played Max Roach a lot. My mother was a dance instructor, she taught modern and ballet, so we did a lot of dancing around the house. We had a big ol’ Zenith hifi and big ol’ speakers and we all sang, danced and did our chores on Saturdays. I thought everybody did that, haha! We had murals, frescoes on every wall in the house. In our bedroom we had a circus scene. In the kitchen we had flowers, fruit. It was great to grow up with art everywhere.”

Q. You’ve worked some greats in your time, including Prince. Are there any other artists you’d love to collaborate with?

“Well I’ve done some stuff with [the R&B star] H.E.R and Sia and I are doing some stuff together.”

Q. How do you decide who to work with? Do you listen to the radio or stream new music?

“Well they [the collab artists] mostly find me! I’m not on any kind of quest, haha! I don’t listen to the radio, no. I listen to as little music as possible because it’s what I do for a living. I think too much and if I listen to music I have a hard time having fun with it. I don’t go out to clubs any more – when I was younger I did a little bit. For me a fun day is doing absolutely nothing, lying on my chaise lounge watching telly, a movie… passive entertainment!”

“I’m not nostalgic, I’m really a next girl”

Q. Do you feel nostalgic looking back on your 50 years in the biz while curating this year’s Meltdown festival?

“No, I’m not nostalgic, I’m really a next girl! I don’t live in the past, I don’t remember a lot. This is a good thing! The only thing I’m interested in is what’s happening in the moment. All we own is this moment right now. And how it’s going to affect what’s going to happen next. I don’t get caught up in things I can’t do nothing about, like yesterday. But I can influence tomorrow.”

Q. What’s been your personal biggest achievement?

“Getting out of the city and moving; leaving LA is the biggest and best thing I’ve done. I’m communing with nature here in Georgia, with all this beauty here. I truly get rest here, I get silence. And I’ve got my family here with me. My mother lives in the east wing, I’ve got my sisters, my nephews.”

Q. You lived in London for 30 years. Did you like living in the UK?

“I loved it but I’m happy now as my neighbours are miles away! I did a lot of great work in the UK, including with the London Philharmonic and worked with a lot of people I’ve loved for years. I’ve lived in many places; Germany, Switzerland… Why?! Well, I live on Earth, the whole planet, that’s the way I look at it! I’ll be in the UK all summer which will be great.”

Q. So many of your songs have been covered many times. Are there are songs that are so precious you wouldn’t want them covered?

“Well I wouldn’t want any of my songs to be copied or covered if they weren’t done well or with the best of intentions, honorably… I don’t want anybody to do a shlock job! But having said that, music is a free agent unto itself – it doesn’t belong to me, it’s for everybody.”

Q. You’re considered one of the great divas. How do you feel about the term ‘diva’ and do you embrace it?

“I know inside what I am. Whatever everybody wants to say about me, so long as it’s in a positive light, I’m happy. Titles don’t mean a lot to me, they do not define me.”

Q. You’ve achieved so much. Anything you still want to do?

“I can’t think of anything else but believe me that doesn’t stop stuff happening. I’m just very open and willing, that’s all I can do. I’ve been doing a lot of talks with children in schools. We have an open floor and they can talk about anything. I’m looking to start doing some podcasts with younger kids, young adults. That’s half of my job right now as a human being. I love my grandchildren and the focus on young people because they’re our future. We owe them a great deal of our time, energy and respect.”

Q. What advice would you give young performers paving their own way?

“Be true to yourself. Honesty is the best policy, even if it hurts! Especially if it hurts: that means it’s meaningful. This is the best thing you can do for yourself and everyone who’s around you.”

Q. How will you cater to a jazz crowd at Love Supreme festival?

“I’m not doing anything specific! I’m a multifaceted singer, I can sing anything. The best thing I’m doing is getting rid of that Queen of Funk s***. I hate to be boxed in. I do as much as is humanly possible on that stage. And everyone’s happy! I’m going to start implementing strings in my show, so I can do To Sir With Love and Big Spender and all that. I’ll be very happy to be doing shows. And I have my hits. I keep it moving, changing, that’s how you keep it interesting.”

Q. What do you think is most challenging about the music industry today for new singers coming into the industry?

“There is so much that needs to change, it’s horrific. First of all how women are set up to compete with one other. There’s no place for competition in self-expression. But often labels count on us [women] being competitive with each other, which is stupid.”

Q, What advice would you have for younger singers and your younger self?

“I think be honest and faithful with yourself and don’t be afraid. You have to keep yourself clear on what your goals are and stay true to yourself, which is a tough thing to do for young people, I think. I control my life and I’ve never let success run away with me. I’ve taken it and ran. The only thing that could threaten my stability is me. I’m my only threat and my own worst enemy. You’ve gotta follow your own path, trust your heart and listen to the warnings. You can’t argue with the universe. It’s not about that. It’s more about relaxing and knowing that you can handle it and feeling empowered. Knowing you have the power to do whatever the hell you want to do! That’s what it’s about. It really is.”

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Paloma Faith April music star Q&A

Liz Nicholls

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Musician Paloma Faith tells us about her new break-up album The Glorification of Sadness ahead of her UK tour which starts this month

Q. Hello Paloma; congratulations on your album, your best yet! Are you happy with it?

“Thank you. Well, yes but it’s difficult! I’m the sort of person who takes any sort of success with a pinch of salt… When people say ‘oh it’s really great’ you never know whether that’s going to translate into popularity or streaming figures.”

Q. Do you have imposter syndrome?

“Yeah and I think it’s part of what drives me. We live in a real era of isolation; it’s all internet or social media-led and quite confusing. I’m not quite sure what’s real and what isn’t. I look at my following of 800,000 and then I look at peers of mine, who have 2 milllion and they don’t sell as many records. So I tend to be a bit blinkered and just go: ‘oh I’m gonna give the best show that I can’.”

Q. Do you think women have to play a role to win popularity?

“It’s funny, I didn’t announce my break-up but when the press reported it all the comments underneath were either ‘she’s a bloody handful’ or ‘I’m sorry he cheated on you’. It’s so weird that people think in those two narrow-minded terms and neither one is correct. As a woman either you’re a victim, and if you’ve got kids with them you’re expected to stay and suffer, or you’re perceived as this nightmare femme fatale character. I don’t think I’m either! So it’s wrong on both counts. There’s the expression of sadness [on this album] and remorse and vulnerability but also there’s a lot of empowerment, standing up for myself and saying this isn’t for me. In this way society needs to catch up. Quite often I listen to songs by women and they’re celebrated when they express vulnerability or victimhood but not so much when they express their strength.”

Q. You were moved by something Madonna said…

“Yes, Madonna says the most controversial thing she did was to stick around & I relate! A woman’s longevity is always under attack more than a man’s. I’m lucky; I’ve always looked quite young for my age, partly because I don’t do the injectables that, I think, make people look old. I hope to stick around!”

Q. Who would be your dream collaborators, alive or dead?

“I think I’d like to stick with the people who are still alive, please! I would love to work with SZA and Miley Cyrus.”

“Performing is my favourite thing to do and the only time I’m not anxious”

Q. How do you take care of your mental health?

“I do exercise and I go to therapy. I’ve done EMDR [eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing] and think it’s really good. One thing I’m learning more recently in my life is that avoidance or distraction mean your issues just come back to bite you in the bum. You can choose to address & face your issues and own up to who you are or else you’re just prolonging the agony.”

Q. Do you like being on tour and will you take your children on this one?

“I’ll take my youngest but the oldest is in school so she can only come for the dates in the Easter holidays; she’s gutted about it and has real FOMO! I love touring. I get a bit nervous beforehand but performing is my favourite thing to do and the only time I’m not anxious.”

Q. Are you looking for love?

“I tried dating for a bit and it just feels difficult to navigate when you’ve got children. The last time I was single I didn’t have any kids and I wouldn’t ever put anyone before my children. And I just don’t have the tolerance I used to have. When we as women are looking to pursue relationships and we don’t have kids, we compromise a lot. People keep talking to me now about compromise but I think ‘oh f***  off with your platitudes, I don’t have to compromise, I’d rather be on my own’. Maybe I am a nightmare woman after all, haha! You know better than you did when you were younger that you can do it without anyone.”

Paloma Faith is on tour including the Hexagon in Reading on 3rd April and New Theatre Oxford on 14th May as well as starring at Southampton Summer Sessions on 28th June. Visit palomafaith.com

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