SAMANTHA MUMBA - Music - http://maxpages.com/chartmusic/Interviews

'INTERVIEW 1'
The man behind Boyzone and Westlife - that is super manager Louis Walsh - has got a new 17-year old protege. Samantha Mumba has swapped her GCSE exams for a stab at the pop charts, but will she make the grade? I find out what all the fuss is about...

Describe your background. How did you come to be here today?
Well, I've been dancing since I was three, and I'd got quite a lot of press through the shows, local TV and the good bit of theatre stuff I'd done in Ireland. Louis Walsh and I bumped into each other in a roundabout way in my home town of Dublin, and swapped numbers. It was through him that I got my record deal .

How would you describe your music?
I suppose it's R 'n' B pop, with a little bit of 'Mumba'! I think people will find it a little bit different from anything they've heard before.

Give us three words that best describe you as a person?
Oh God, I don't know. I hate questions like that! I'm quite a laidback person, and I'm happy most of the time, although my manager won't agree with that! I'm also very ambitious.

So where would you like to be five years from now?
I'd like to be releasing my own 'Greatest HIts' album - that would be a dream come true. I'd also like to do well in the US and Australia because I have family there, and they're really excited for me at the moment. I'll carry on living in Dublin though - I'd never move away.

What does fame mean to you?
Things are going a bit mad back home, actually. I got mobbed by loads of kids just going to my friends house the other day and it was quite a strange feeling. I think I'd be able to handle fame because I've had a bit of experience of seeing myself on TV, but the wierdest thing is seeing posters of myself - there are loads in Dublin at the moment, and I have to look away whenever I see one!

When will you know that you've really made it?
If my record went platinum or if it got to number one.

Who do you aspire to?
Whitney Houston is my absolute idol. Her voice is amazing and I love everything she's ever done - I listen to her 'Greatest Hits' album constantly. Recently, I've been getting into Tina Turner - I saw her film last night, she's a really strong woman and she also has a brilliant voice.

Why should the public believe in you and buy your music?
Because the music I'm making is something different. I'm not your usual American blonde-haired, blue eyed singer. My album's got a good variety of stuff on it which will appeal to people of all age groups. I think young kids and teenagers will like it, but one of the tracks has a sample from David Bowie's 'Ashes to Ashes' on it, so older people will recognise that and relate to it. There's something on there for everyone.

What sets you apart from other recording artists?
The fact that I'm not a commercial artist, I'm just doing what I want to do and hoping that other people enjoy it too.

What do you think are your main talents?
Dancing and singing. I'm also proud of the fact that I've co-written my album because I've only just found out that I can write songs.

Will she be the next in a long line of talent to emerge from Ireland of late? Only you can answer that because you have the power to make or break an artist.

Samantha's single 'Gotta Tell You' is out on June 26th.

'INTERVIEW 2'
So, what inspired you to become a singer?
Samantha: I've been performing since the age of 3 and was even on TV when I was 4. I always did the hairbrush in front of the mirror thing. My parents put me forward for stuff simply to give them a break from me, as I was fairly hyperactive. I didn't go to drama school, I was just put forward for auditions by my parents.

What style of music did you grow up with - who were your favourite artists?
Samantha: I always loved pop music, particularly Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. Music has changed so much now with R&B being played more - there just seemed to be an explosion of R&B in Ireland - it seemed to come from no where.

Do you think people will sit up and take more notice of you because you're Black and Irish?
Samantha: People probably do take more notice of me, but to be honest, no one's ever asked me about it yet.

When did you start writing songs?
Samantha: I only started writing recently - the publisher suggested I do it as he said it would be better for me as an artist, particularly as very few pop artists write their own material. I co-wrote 'Gonna Tell You' and co-wrote the LP, which comes out in August. My second single 'Body 2 Body' is a more raunchy number sampling David Bowie's 'Ashes To Ashes'. David Bowie liked the track so much; he's going to direct my next video. I haven't met him or his wife Iman yet, but I'm dying to. I want to meet her, so I can get hold of some of her make-up!

What sets you apart from other young pop acts out today?
Samantha: Most other artists don't write their songs, not the Americans anyway - I don't think Britney does. I do not consider myself to be a 'commercial' artist - which means I'm not part of some image/marketing machine. Also, my vocals are different. We're all female performers, but that's where the similarity ends. I don't get it when people compare Christina and Britney - Christina's got an amazing voice like Mariah and Whitney.

Are you conscious of what type of image you want to portray?
Samantha: I donned the plaits because I was doing a lot of shows and it was easier for me as I didn't have to worry about my hair. However, I will be changing my hairstyle for the next single - it'll be a straight and shoulder-length. I went through several different hairstyle previously - big weaves, tiny thin plaits, chunky plaits! I think I'll be like Madonna and keep refreshing my image, which I think helped her career.

Do you feel like you're on the verge of being successful as Louis [Walsh] is known for having The Midas Touch with artists (e.g. Westlife/Boyzone)?
Samantha: I try not to think about hitting the big time, as I believe I might jinx myself. Also, it's completely different for him to manage 5 guys, rather than a solo female artist. It's a challenge to get people interested in a single female, while five guys have an obvious appeal. I might get to work with Westlife and Boyzone, but that's a lot further down the road.

Louis Walsh is such a high-profile manager - how did you get to work with him?
Samantha: I was appearing in several shows in Ireland, which he went to see - he phoned my mum after seeing me perform.

Your video seems to have a lot less dance routines in it than other pop acts - was that deliberate?
Samantha: Well, I think there's quite a bit of dancing in it as I love dancing - there are 3 routines in it. I was dancing before I was singing, so it's my first love. We wanted to make the video differently from others as most are done in a studio and we wanted to take people on a journey.

We noticed in the video that you started with high-heel boots and ended up with flat shoes - was it because your feet got tired after running around in the video?
Samantha: Oh my god! No one's noticed that yet! I did start by wearing high-heeled boots, but I had to take them off and wear flat shoes otherwise I wouldn't get through the three days of filming. There was also a lot of action in the video and I did perform some of the stunts. I performed 2 stunts - the one on the truck and the most frightening one where I stepped off a 10-storey building onto a crane without a safety harness! I did one rehearsal with the harness (which couldn't be worn as it would've been seen), but despite the stunt double saying she'd do it, I wanted to do it.

Sign Guestbook

View Guestbook

Popstar

MUSIC HEAVEN

ant_tiger@hotmail.com

Visitors: 00563

Page Updated Fri Apr 19, 2002 4:55pm EDT