Carry On Cleo

In the ‘90s Cleo Higgins was the lead singer with girl band Cleopatra who were signed to Madonna’s Maverick label and even had their own show in the US. uk-fusion catches up with the sultry singer to hear about playing The Vatican, going solo, and bizarre fan requests

How does your solo stuff differ to Cleopatra?

Cleopatra was straight pop, slightly candy, but still good. My solo tracks have many different elements to it: R&B, pop, rock all strung together. I’m grown up now, so I can do what I want and be more experimental. 

Both you and sister Yonah have your own separate MySpace pages. Exactly how competitive are you as siblings?

I’m the least competitive out of us all: I’m the most picked on! To be honest, I criticise all of them. We don’t compete too much with music really; we compete with our cooking. We have cooking contests all the time!

How did The Vatican gig come about and how daunting an experience was it?

The Vatican was excellent, it was something you wouldn’t expect to do in a million years and it just came up. They wanted someone who wasn’t opera and we were rocking it at the time. We had everyone dancing and enjoying the set. It was such a fun time.

What lessons did you learn about the music industry during your Cleopatra years?

Don’t trust people is the best lesson I learnt. I trust people too much sometimes and I have to learn to keep myself to myself but to give trust. I have also learnt to put my foot down when necessary. Back in Cleopatra people would blame us when things went wrong and we were only young. We were seen as children most of the time but when things went wrong we were treated like adults, and we were too young for that.

What was it like reuniting to appear on Hit Me Baby One More Time?

We enjoyed it so much as we always do. The fans didn’t get to hear the second album so it was fun as we got to do it our way. It was a good chance to break out the way we wanted to do.

You met boyfriend Marlon McKenzie in McDonald’s, who chatted who up?

Ha, we didn’t meet in McDonald’s. We met at a competition called Brag and Boast in Manchester and he gave me a cheesy James-Bond-style line. We became really good friends and went everywhere together, and then started a relationship. We’ve been together for 7½ years now and will probably get married eventually when things get more settled in my career.

Chika Li Che?

We wanted to give her a name that would stand out and represent her as a person. She is a cross between me and her dad, and we called the bump Chika during the pregnancy. But since she’s been born we have found out that it means ‘girl’ in Spanish and is also the name of a Nigerian tribe and is a Japanese name which is really cool.

You must turn heads when you pick up your children from nursery. So how does it feel to be a yummy mummy?

I’m not a yummy mummy really. As I go to school in ripped jeans, my hair in a cap and dirty trainers. I don’t have time in the morning to pretty myself up.

Your cover for your debut single features you scantily clad lying on a road. Just what are you trying to tell us, Ms Higgins?

Every girl likes to be sexy and if you’re going to sing the music that I do, you have to be sexy. You have to be yourself and I love showing my legs cos they are my favourite asset. I’m a sassy chick and I love it.

What gets your party started?

Great music, I am so musically entwined. I always have to sing or dance whenever I hear music. That and karaoke, it’s the only time I get to let my hair down and be myself. And Malibu - that will definitely get my party started.

I’m not hearing an awful lot of Manchester when I listen to your songs? How deliberate is that?

I’ve tried to sing with a British accent but it doesn’t work. Some songs need to be sung in an American accent cos it sounds better. Growing up listening to a lot of US stuff has shaped my accent too.

How much of a role model do you see yourself as?

Being a role model is hard but I like to be there for most girls and women. I am a strong black woman and I can be sexy but tone it down as well. I’m a great mum too which I think is a great thing to inspire women about.

What’s been your most bizarre request from a fan?

I think the weirdest thing was that someone wanted to be my child’s godparent. That is the strangest. And we had a really weird fan in Germany once that demanded a hug and a kiss but was really strange. Usually the fans are really supportive but these two were a bit weird. 

Finally, what’s only kinky the first time?

It depends; I always like to try things again. But walking across someone’s back in heels is definitely kinky and you will probably only be allowed to do it once!

Eastside Records release Cleo’s single, ‘Feeling Like This’ on 10^th September.