Although she’s from a famous musical family, soulful new pop personality BAZ is more than capable of walking tall all by herself. She talks to TIM PEACOCK on the eve of her debut UK tour with SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR.
The thing that strikes you instantly about BAZ is her infectious laugh. From the off, it peppers her conversation and attracts you every bit as much as her dynamic pop nous.
Her recently released (second) single “Smile To Shine” (on ONE LITTLE INDIAN) boasts a similar appeal. It’s one of those ultra-hooky pop tunes that sinks its’ claws into you and keeps tugging until you’re literally humming it around the house all day long. If there’s any justice, it’ll be swamping the airwaves indefinitely. Its’ relentless positivity is its’ calling card, but is BAZ on a quest to bring optimism back into pop?
“Yeah, definitely” she breezes. “It’s an important ingredient in great pop. But there’s a lot of elements to my music. I’ve still got my soul element, my acoustic thing. But there’s lots of reality in the songs, I’m not gonna leave that behind, either.”
BAZ needed a cool head on her shoulders when her December 2001 debut single “Believers” brought her crashing straight into the Top 40 and thus the land of wunnerful Radio 1, TV appearances and the media cavalcade. Did she expect such sudden attention?
“Not really, no” she laughs. “It was a bit strange and new to me. You gotta get used to it – and quickly! I’m getting stopped in the street and all those clichés: y’know, kids pointing and going- “Look, it’s that lady off the telly!”
She lets loose the laugh again.
“But it’s nice attention, not creepy, so I’m happy with it.”
Of course, BAZ is perhaps fortunate as she has siblings already well versed in the trappings of fame and how to avoid them. BAZ’S brother is DJ DAVE ANGEL and her sister is the formidable MONIE LOVE. Do they feature in your music, BAZ?
“Well, Dave did some dance mixes for “Believers” because obviously that’s in his field,” she replies. “But apart from that they don’t have any input.”
As an afterthought, she adds:
“Mind you, I was hoping my sister might be appearing on the same bill at the (Bristol) Essential Festival, but no, unfortunately.”
However, MONIE LOVE did (subconsciously) have a hand in the writing of BAZ’S next single, “Promises.” For a change, BAZ becomes far more serious when discussing this.
“That song, “Promises” is a more difficult concept,” she says, carefully. “I got distracted by a ‘phone call from my sister while I was working and she was really upset about this situation she was in. I don’t wanna go into too many details, but we got into this deep heart to heart on the ‘phone and what she said really inspired me.”
How do you mean?
“Well, “Promises” is very definitely from a woman’s point of view,” she says. “The chorus came directly from the conversation we had. When I finished the call, she’d actually given me the idea for the song’s chorus and the theme of broken promises.”
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Hot on the heels of “Promises” comes BAZ’S debut album, “Psychedelic Love”. I admit I’m intrigued by the title and ask BAZ what we can expect from the record.
“I chose “Psychedelic Love” as the title because it fits perfectly, in the sense that music’s my drug,” she laughs, almost uncontrollably.
“Plus it’s a bit twisted. People get the idea that “psychedelic” is defined as like colours and patterns, but it’s not. It represents something more like an addiction.”
“The record’s got all kinds of different moods too,” she enthuses. “I mean, there’s also things like the song “Ghetto Lady”: that’s very much a keepin’ it real kinda song. It’s about a woman who’s got lots of problems and she’s, like, going through the motions.”
“She comes out stronger at the end of the song, though,” insists BAZ. “So yeah, the message is positive again. Absolutely!”
BAZ recorded “Psychedelic Love” in the auspicious company of producer GUY SIGSWORTH, knob twiddler to music’s upper echelons; his previous clients including SEAL and MADONNA. Typically, BAZ wasn’t fazed by the sessions.
“Nah man, Guy’s a great person,” she gushes in her mighty Sarf London twang.
“I had very definite ideas for my album. I told him I wanted a very futuristic, Motown-soul type concept and he both listened and grasped it – as you’ll soon see!”
Indeed we will, and if the singles are any indication, “Psychedelic Love” looks set to be a killer and something we’ll all want to indulge in. Before all that, though, there’s the little matter of a nationwide UK tour, where BAZ and her regular band are accompanying SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR around the circuit’s plusher dancehalls. Would you be surprised if I told you BAZ can’t wait? Thought not.
“Ha! My first time on the road,” says BAZ, relishing the challenge. “My band’s really rockin’ too. I’ve just met Sophie’s band for the first time and they’re really cool. I’ve not spoken with Sophie yet, but she’ll be mega, I know.”
I’m sure she will. For BAZ, though, all this activity is only the tip of what looks like a very large iceberg of success. With songs of the calibre of “Smile To Shine” in the bag and a boundless supply of talent, confidence and infectious humour to her name, I think we should prepare for seduction on a grand scale over the summer.
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