Interviews Menu - Interviews

Hi Donna, thanks for agreeing to do this - how are you?

I'm doing good

Tell me about the new album, how long it took, how it all came together, how
long you've been writing for it.

It took me about two years to write and record it, in that time I fell in love with my gorgeous husband, got married and moved 'Home' along with all the commitments that Lennox had.

It's out soon - can't wait I bet, the initial buzz has been good - what will you be doing to promo it. It's your first album for some time now isn't it.
I am very excited and nervous all rolled into one. I want this album to do well so I'll do anything and everything that I need to promote it. It was co-written and produced by Urban Species member Lennox Cameron.

Tell me something about how you work together.

Lennox and myself work so well together that it's nothing like work. Musically we're on the same page and very often he would just climb into my head without even asking.

Are you pleased with the songs you wrote and the album in general. What are you trying to get across lyrically and what do you draw from.

I am very pleased with the songs because they are from my heart. I keep saying that this is an autobiographical album in life lessons I feel that my life has become very spiritual and this album is the journey I took to get there.

There's a variety of styles in there, uptempo, downbeat, neo, R'n'B Plus How Sweet It Is - what brought that in?

What I did was let things flow and this was the result, 'How Sweet It Is' is an old favourite. I chose this song out of a few because when I sang it I felt that I could sing it about a vertical love as well as a horizontal love.

How did you hook up with Dome - seems the right connection to me - how's it doing?

The hook up with Dome came while I was doing B. V's for Hil St. Soul, she used to be on the label and Peter Robinson gave me a call and asked if I wanted to do an album.

Anything you'd like to add about the album or what's happening now or in the immediate future.

I would just like for people to really enjoy my album and feel what a great time I had making it.

What are your long term ambitions.

I would like to just go on doing what I love to do which is making and singing good music.

Let's go right back now - you're a London girl, is that right. Tell me about your childhood and youth and where and how music fits it....and where it took over.

I am a London girl I was brought up in north London by fairly strict Christian parents, growing up in church they just make you get involved as soon as you can speak so I was singing for as long as I can remember. We used to play church at home and Dad would play mouth organ or piano or anything he could get his hands on. Mum and I would be the choir and my little brother would be the Pastor. I never thought though that my career would be music. I fell into it by covering for a friend on a session.

Gospel's heavy in there? But what or who else influenced you

I have many influences, I grew up listening to the Jones Girls and Chaka Khan, Marvin Gaye, Pattie Labelle, Vesta Williams and Aretha Franklin

"Reach Out" came quite early, how did all that come about, were you ready
for it, and what do you think looking back

As I said I fell into the business and I definitely don't think I was ready for all that stuff that came along with it. I was quite young - there are no text books on how to deal with it all.

Was Raw Stylus straight after that- what happened, did you feel more secure in a band, maybe. Some good material came out of that and good touring experience, tell me about those days and where it took you.

I did a lot of sessions in between but yes, I did feel a lot more secure in a band. I felt like I learnt so much from working with Jules and Ron and I would never forget the great time we had writing and touring. I definitely needed that.

What other things have you done, including your session stuff

There are a few sessions that I've done ie. Tom Jones, Hearsay, Incognito.

You've also been singing in a gospel choir - Shekinah.

Yes I sing alto in this choir led by Clive Brown, I also sing in a group with my sis-in-law and her husband called 'Three n one'

What things outside of music interest you, what hobbies do you have.

As you see I do a lot of music so there is not much time for much else, but I am heavily involved in a prison outreach network and we go to prisons with programs. We write to them and try to help them sort out their lives.

Hope to meet up soon - anything else you'd like to add

Just feel the enjoyment from the album and I will have done my job

Good luck with the album and thanks for your time.

Thank you very much for your support.