It’s STILL my Happy Birthday... 41 years on, says Clare
IT’S the catchy song that set her on the road to stardom. And Clare Grogan admits that, four decades on, she still loves to perform her most famous hit, Happy Birthday.
This year has seen the Scots singer celebrate her own milestone as she turned 60 in March – and release an album of new music for the first time in 39 years, Mascara Streakz.
Next month Ms Grogan – the frontwoman of 1980s band Altered Images – will collect a lifetime achievement honour at the annual Scottish Music Awards in Glasgow’s Barrowlands venue.
Speaking from her home in London,
‘This album is personal. I’ve had a lot to deal with in life’
where she lives with husband and fellow band member Stephen Lironi and their 17-year-old daughter Elle, Ms Grogan chalked up her success to Happy Birthday’s legacy.
She said: ‘Happy Birthday is the song that keeps on giving. I don’t know what it is about these songs, but as long as the audience are there, I am there to do it for them.
‘People still sing it to me out of car windows and ask me about it on the Underground. I wouldn’t be getting this award next month if it wasn’t for Happy Birthday. It has been the most amazing calling card.’
Ms Grogan shot to fame as the lead singer of Altered Images, who also had hits with I Could Be Happy and Don’t Talk To Me About Love, and was cast as Susan in the 1980 coming of age film Gregory’s Girl.
Having been used to a jam-packed schedule, she dipped back into her creative side during lockdown. She said: ‘In many ways I enjoyed the pause. It made me realise how busy I was. I know people had terrible things to deal with but for whatever reason that was not my experience and I will always be really grateful for that.’
Ms Grogan became a mother in her 40s after more than a decade of trying, suffering six miscarriages and four failed attempts at IVF.
Overcoming the distress and dark times, she has delved deep into her emotions with Mascara Streakz.
She said: ‘I’ve had a lot to deal with in life. This album is incredibly personal. I have exposed myself through my writing and there’s something incredibly liberating about that.’
The Scottish Music Awards on November 5, hosted by DJ Edith Bowman, will raise money for the music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins.
Altered Images will perform at St Luke’s in Glasgow on December 16.