Backstage

Alesha Dixon

February 2009 | Pop

Alesha took some time out of her busy schedule to speak to we7 about her new single, "Breathe Slow", her album "The Alesha Show" and her upcoming Mount Kilimanjaro climb, in aid of "Comic Relief"...

The interview

So how are you today? You're in training at the moment for the Mount Kilimanjaro climb for "Comic Relief"...

I'm alright actually... It feels like the day's been really long. I've been up since six because I wanted to go to the gym. I've just had all my immunisations done. I was just going upstairs to wind up my label boss to say that I couldn't do the TV on Saturday 'cos I was coming down with something!

Are you looking forward to the climb?

I'm going out there first. I have to go and meet everybody, all the locals. The actual climb starts on the 28th of February. It takes a week to walk the mountain. There's Kimberly from Girls Aloud, Denise Van Outen, Fearne Cotton, Gary Barlow, Ronan Keating, Chris Moyles and Ben Shepherd - a good group of people. We've all been really encouraging each other by training and going for walks. It's a really worthwhile cause - it's important to get the whole nation behind us. People can follow us online and track where we are on the mountain.

Is it the biggest challenge you've ever undertaken?

Physically yes, without a doubt. I've always been quite sporty. I've always enjoyed running and dancing. This will be interesting. I'd like to see if this is going to be tougher than the four months I did "Strictly Come Dancing".

"Breathe Slow" is your new single - it's different from The Boy Does Nothing. It's more of an R&B ballad with an 80s feel to it.

I feel like I've got one of those characters that can sort of blend into different environments. Both singles are kind of relevant to the pop part of my character. That was one of the trickiest things I felt when I approached the album, because of the diversity of the music that I listen to and I like.

You actually recorded the song in one of the studios that was used for Michael Jackson's Thriller. Was it daunting for you?

We sat there for a good hour before the recording, talking about the studio, the recording, all the weird little things that he used to do in the studio, the rumours and the little stories surrounding that record. Then I was in the same booth area where he recorded it and you can't help but feel "wow". I remember being a young girl and just loving Michael Jackson and loving "Thriller".

So Michael Jackson was a hero...

Musically, I think what Michael did, and I don't think many people have been able to copy this, is he found a way of making an album that black, white, young and old people loved. It's very difficult to unite everybody. He's one of the very few artists who has been able to do that. I think the combination of pop-meets-soul was one he managed to do superbly.

What is your favourite song on the album, the one that symbolises what you are about?

Depending on where I am at, it tends to change. If somebody gave me the album now and said play a track. I'd probably play Can I Begin. I just love its simplicity of the song and the fact that it is a really honest account. I'm looking forward to doing these songs in the live show, the stripped back ones. It's the complete opposite to what people knew me for in Mystique - in that band I was the mental nutcase! It was just a completely different vibe.

In Mystique, you were known for your rapping style...

Some called it shouting [laughs]. I wouldn't say I've given it up - I've put it in a little box and, when the time is right, it will come out again. If I did any collaborations, that's where I could come back out as the shouty one. Back for a reload!

And this passion you have for dancing came through on "Strictly Come Dancing", which you won in 2007. Did you catch much of the last series?

Yeah, I did. I thought Rachel Stevens was technically better than me. But what I had was the sheer passion for it... Rachel had the elegance. Technically, she danced superbly. I went onto that show just to have fun and to really learn how to dance. That's what came across.

What plans do you have for 2009?

I have this belief that you are the only person who can stop yourself doing the things you want to do. My ultimate dream would be to do a world tour. The buzz on the record feels great. In the next six months I want to do my own shows around the UK, and just hope that "The Alesha Show" continues throughout 2009...

Thank you very much for your time Alesha!

Thank you!