‘My daughter’s loud music drives me nuts!’
With her band, Texas, Sharleen Spiteri has sold millions of records worldwide. She tells all about their new album – and her engagement to chef Bryn Williams…
Her band, Texas, took the charts by storm in the 90s, selling more than 35 million records. Now 49, Sharleen Spiteri and her bandmates are back with a new album.
The new single, Let’s
Work It Out, is great – and football legend Thierry Henry is in the video. Is he a friend? Yes, we’ve been pals for a long time. It was great fun having him in the video, playing my driver! I think he enjoyed himself. The single is fun, and the new album was just so easy to make – which isn’t always the case.
You’ve sold millions of records. Do you think it’s easier to promote an album today with the help of social media?
It’s easier because you can get an album out there quicker, but it’s harder because there’s so much more competition. Anyone can put their song up on YouTube or other places – you don’t have to be signed to a record company any more. There’s more freedom, but that means more traffic, and you can get lost in it all.
What do you make of the current music scene? Who
inspires you?
The music my daughter [Misty, 14] listens to takes over the whole house, and it’s driving me nuts, because it’s louder than everything else. I was originally inspired by people like Blondie and The Clash, but I do listen to a lot of new stuff, too.
What music did you hear in your house when you were growing up?
My dad was playing The Beatles and The Rolling Stones; my mum was listening to a lot more jazz and soul – Ella Fitzgerald and Al Green. Later on, as I got older, I was listening to Echo And The Bunnymen and, of course, the Scottish bands of the time, like Altered Images. I think I was lucky to grow up with so many different musical influences. Our new album is very Bee Geessounding. When I was a kid, the Bee Gees were everywhere – they had so many hit records. Every week, they’d be on Top Of The Pops. How do you look back on 1997, when your biggest-selling album, White On Blonde, was No.1? Fondly, because it has given me a very nice life and the freedom for the band to continue to make records. It sort of set the mark for us as Texas, and to then have such a large catalogue of hit records… of course I’m very grateful for that. I’m lucky, too, because we all still get on as
a band. We drive each other crazy sometimes, but mostly it’s really good to be together.
And what does Misty think about you being a pop star?
She made me laugh when I told her I was going to dance in my new video. She said, ‘ What do you mean? What sort of dancing?’ When I showed her, she went, ‘Oh, that’s all right, Mum – I’ll let you do it.’ I suppose she just sees me as a mum, not as a pop singer.
You’ve been quite vocal about shows like The X Factor and The Voice. Would you consider being a judge?
I’m not against these shows, but it’s the aftermath I don’t like. You see these kids who have just sung with huge stars in the finals, then go to all the film premieres, yet they haven’t really done anything. And, in the end, if it doesn’t work out, they get rejected by the record companies. If I was asked to be a judge, I would consider it – but I think I’d be quite tough.
You recently got engaged to chef Bryn Williams [who has appeared on the likes of Saturday Kitchen and Great British Menu]. Are you in a happy place?
[Laughs] Well, I’d like to think so, given that I’ve already said ‘ Yes’ to him! It’s taken 10 years [the couple met in 2007], so we’ve taken our time over it.
Does he have similar taste in music to you?
Bryn loves his music. He’s a Welsh boy, so he’s a massive Stereophonics fan, and he also loves the Manic Street Preachers, of course.
Will Texas be touring any time soon?
Yes – we start in June, and will be touring in Scotland, then around the UK. We’re really looking forward to getting back on the road.
You released a solo album, Melody, back in 2008. Do you plan to take on any more solo projects?
No, definitely not. What I did before was just a one-off project I was asked to do. I’m very happy just making music with Texas – that’s my life. The single Let’s Work It Out by Texas is out on 17 March. The album Jump On Board is released on 21 April.