INTERVIEW WITH ESTELLE

I come to today’s interview with in trepidation and fear. I had vowed never to interview another star again. The last one I did was with Catherine Feeny at Beautiful Days, where hung over, tired, grumpy and wet, I was shown to a backstage portacabin where young Miss Feeny gave me some of her time. Star struck and totally in awe I just proceeded to tell her how brilliant she was, how I loved her music, and how sometimes I play guitar and want to be just like her. I had to be rescued by the other person in the room who had been allowed in only to hold the recorder for me. She ended up doing the rest of the interview whilst I sat blushing in the corner.

But the lovely ladies at the PR agency for Estelle asked me if I would like to have some of her time, and I find it very hard to say no, and secretly, having seen and heard the album, I knew this could one day be a big claim to fame, so I call Estelle on a pre arrange number and the phone is answered by someone that sounds like they are in the middle of a massive gathering…

HI ESTELLE, I’M HANNAH FROM EXETER LIST MAGAZINE. HAVE HAD THE NEW ALBUM ON SINCE I GOT IT THROUGH YESTERDAY, AND I LOVE IT. THANKS FOR TAKING TIME OUT YOUR WEEKEND TO CHAT TO US. HAPPY EASTER.

ARE YOU WORKING ALL OVER THE EASTER WEEKEND OR HAVE YOU GOT SOME TIME OFF LINED UP? AN EASTER EGG HUNT PERHAPS?
No im actually with my family right now eating!

SO WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY HOLD FOR YOU AT THE MOMENT?
Wow, it's interviews, radio, TV, and if I’m really lucky I get a bit of time to sleep!

YOU WORKED WITH SOME PRETTY HUGE ARTISTS ON THE ALBUM. DID YOU EVER DO ANYTHING REALLY EMBARASSING IN FRONT OF SOMEONE SUPER COOL? (Ever been star struck?)
Wycliffe and me were in the studio and decided to have a push up competition, and I didn’t realise but I was wearing a dress that was a bit see through around the bum area, and my friend took a picture and was like ‘ we could totally see your bum man’ and so I was showing it all off to everyone in the push up comp. That’s a bit embarrassing.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2008? ARE YOU DOING ANY SUMMER FESTIVAL APPEARANCES?
Oh yeah yeah we are going to be doing some festivals this summer. To be honest I can’t wait to hit the show circuit this summer. From memory I know we are trying to get to v and reading and hopefully Glastonbury. Really excited about that.

ON A DAY OFF WHAT WOULD WE CATCH YOU DOING? ARE YOU A LIE IN/DVD UNDER A DUVET GIRL OR ARE YOU A GIRL WHO ALWAYS NEEDS TO BE USING HER TIME TO STAY BUSY?
I’m a going to the shops kinda girl all the way! Spend all the money I haven’t been spending on tour, and then come home and be like ‘where am I going to put it all?’ or spend some time lying in a spa somewhere, or maybe catch up on watching all the box sets for all the TV shows I have been missing. I have just finished greys anatomy season 3, and am totally in love with Patrick Dempsey (mcdreamy).

AND ON A DAY OFF (I read you like to cook when you get the chance), WHAT'S YOU FAVORITE THING TO COOK?
My favourite thing to cook would be rice and chicken stew, actually I would make chicken soup or macaroni cheese. Actually I don’t know...let me think...oh yeah chicken soup I think. (This question caused our Estelle the most trouble out of all of them)

NOW IT’S A BIT CLICHÉ, BUT I THINK IT'S FUN FOR READERS TO KNOW: JUST A FEW QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS FOR YOU:

Salt and vinegar/cheese and onion – cheese and onion
Flats/heels - heels
Soft and cuddly/buff and toned – again obviously a tough one for Estelle. She says she likes both…but then opts for buff and toned
Roast chicken/roast beef - chicken
Shower/bath - bath
Sit down meal/finger buffet – sit down meal
Summer/winter – summer definitely
Easter/Christmas/birthday? – Christmas because I get to see my family

AND FINALLY I WONDER IF YOU CAN TELL ME ONE FACT ABOUT YOURSELF THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE WOULD KNOW?
Ooh…I would say most people don’t know that I am a control freak. I’m all A.D.D about stuff being in order and all that. My friends would definitely say I am a control freak. I have so much stuff going around my brain that I have to be on top of stuff all the time.

WELL GOOD LUCK WITH THE ALBUM, AS I SAID BEFORE, I THINK ITS ACE. I THINK YOU ARE DOING GREAT THINGS FOR UK MUSIC RIGHT NOW AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A LOVELY EASTER AND ENJOY THE REST OF THE WEEKEND. IT’S BEEN A PLEASURE TALKING TO YOU. THANKS VERY MUCH.

So as you can tell, Estelle turned out to be a very lovely person. Thankfully I managed to keep my guitar and song writing aspirations under wraps and instead managed to construct some kind of a question and answer type of communication, which I think is what forms the basis of an interview. She seemed jolly lovely, not at all minding that I was interrupting her good Friday family meal time with questions about crisp preferences. All in all a lovely girl, and the album rocks, and someone to look out for.