Faye: “I felt competitive with the Steps girls!”
Strictly star Faye Tozer tells Closer about comparing herself to her band members and why she never thought she’d become a mum
She was launched into the limelight with hit pop-group Steps, selling millions of records and performing in front of thousands of fans. But Faye Tozer says that while she loves her bandmates – Lisa Scott-lee, Claire Richards, Ian “H” Watkins and Lee Latchford-evans – she struggled to deal with the constant comparisons with the girls.
Faye, 43, says, “In a band where you have three girls, you’re always looking at yourself, hearing what people think of you. Internally, I felt competitive because I wanted to be the best I could be. I was only 21 – so I think I was trying to find my own identity. People naturally compare you and will tell you who their favourite is.
SELFISH
“If I could look back and have the knowledge I do now, I’d tell myself to chill out – not to overthink things. I wouldn’t compare myself to anyone else and I’d just go out and be me. It’s something we constantly do in this generation; we compare ourselves to other people and don’t celebrate who we are.”
While performing was always Faye’s main life goal, she admits she now has a different focus – her son Benjamin, nine, whom she shares with software engineer husband Michael Smith. And Faye says that being so career-driven in her youth meant becoming a mum was never on her list of priorities.
She says, “Before I had Benjamin, I was a crazy career girl and I thought I’d always be far too selfish to have children. I didn’t feel like kids were ever going to be a part of my life. But I met the right person in Michael and the hormones kicked in. Benjamin has been the best thing that happened to me. Having a child changed my perspective on the world – on what really matters.”
But Faye is still as focused on her career as ever and wowed audiences with her performances on Strictly last year. She’s spending the first few months of 2019 on tour, with plans to work on her new Steps album later in the year.
WORKING AWAY
And Faye – who says she won’t be having more children as her family is “complete” – admits her busy work schedule can mean she’s away from Michael, 36, whom she wed in 2009, for weeks at a time.
She says, “It’s tough being away from home. Michael works away as well, but it works – and when we’re together we just spend all our time with each other, cosied up on the sofa watching TV or even at a hotel.
“Strictly was tough as it was essentially a six-month job and Michael had to hold the fort at home. I’m going to treat him to a nice holiday this year to say thank you.”
● Faye stars in the Queer As Folk 20 musical in Manchester on the 22 February. See Stilldoinitlive.com