EXCLUSIVE: Heather Small admits that James Small-Edwards, her son, was a hero when he deposed the Tories from the West Central London Assembly despite her fumblings.
She’s one of the most iconic singers, but Heather Small reveals one of her proudest moments is her son’s victory in the 2024 London Assembly election. The singer, 60, had been waiting with James Small-Edwards, a Labour councillor, and his peers on May 2, 2024, as the votes were counted as he became the West Central representative.
The Conservatives had been a member of the West Central London Assembly since 2000, and Heather was waiting with James as it was revealed he had defeated Tony Devenish to become the Assembly’s most recent representative.
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror at Hillsborough Stadium following her set at Tramlines Festival, the hitmaker said: “I don’t talk about my son so much, but I was there on the night. Let me tell you, it’s nerve-wracking, talk about nervous. I didn’t think that I would see that in my lifetime.
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“I was proud, not just for my son, but for all those young people who canvassed. They really put heart and soul into it. There was fire in the belly, there was a passion. They were doing it for the right reasons, and that’s what made me proud. The level of work and strategy, they were smart with it, so it did make me very proud.” It comes after Jeremy Vine reveals what will happen if Joey Barton fails to pay staggering legal bill.
She referred to her performance on The T’Other Stage, which saw thousands of people crowded into the tent, as “for me, it was absolutely amazing.” She added:” What an audience reaction. Just a sea of people existed. It was a bit sparse because I arrived early for sound check, which was early.
“Then I came up on stage to a sea of people. It was joyous, I was so happy, I use the word happy, but to be happy isn’t easy. For half an hour to have people forget their troubles and be joyful, I would take that every day of the week.” But while Heather is known for lifting the mood of her fans, she admits she’s not sure if she’s personally had an impact on them.
She continued, “I know they like the songs and they like my voice,” adding, “Anytime I play the songs to a live audience, they understand that I’m a part of the community and a part of what’s happening. It’s not a them and us, I want them to enjoy the moment. As you can see, my goal is to.
I “own the stage,” and I sing my heart out. That’s what people expect, and that’s what they should expect. Some people have never seen you live, and I explain what a performance is. I take over when I’m on stage, which is what I should be doing. If you’re on stage, you don’t want people to take their eyes off the stage. There should be some fervor and excitement.
However, Heather doesn’t intend to slow things down because she only has a half-hour set and knows what people want. From bouncing to one side of the stage and shimmying to the other in the blink of an eye, she delivered her biggest hits, including Proud and Movin On Up.
She commented, “If it’s a festival, I want people to really be up for it and dancing,” adding that she meticulously plans her dynamic “half-hour set with” songs that everyone knows. Heather is in her 60s, but she is still in her happy place because she acknowledges that she is “quite fit,” which leads to her happiness.
Audience interaction is important for Heather, as it gives her energy”. I take care of myself, Heather said, adding, “I’ve always said, “What do you want to do in the future?” I’ve always wanted to sing. I always want to sing. My voice needs to remain intact. I want to do better than I should be. It doesn’t matter the size of the stage, I’m going to traverse it.
You must convey to others that you are singing for them and that you are also taking it all in.
She admits that strutting across the stage brings an element of joy to her performances, as fans don’t pay to see a “shrinking violet”, instead, they pay to see her “own the songs”, which she describes as “powerful” as she has “uplifted them” for a while.
She exclaimed, “It’s a privilege that people pay to come and see you, that they will take their time to come and sing along to every song. It’s an honor and a privilege.”
Heather admits to never putting her career on hold, whether she’s performing for 50 or for a limited number of dates on her tour. She’ll also be performing across the country in October with Wet Wet Wet.
The audience deserves that, she said, “every night it’ll be like it’s the first night.” She attempts to keep her performances “as fresh as possible,” noting that she doesn’t employ backing dancers but instead uses old school rock and roll to create her pop dance songs.
“I perform like an old rocker, it’s about everything – you think to yourself, Ozzy Osbourne, God rest his soul, how he performed, it was hot, it was sweaty, but there was somebody before him”, she commented.
She said, “Go out there and perform live, you have to. They’re expecting something slightly different from what they’re used to, whereas studying is one thing. Live to an audience is another. They want to see how you interact with your own songs, and then there’s the interaction with the audience”.
She tries to add a new dimension to her classics each time she performs, saying, “I’m here to entertain you and make you happy.” I choose the songs so that I can leave you feeling joyful. People have come to hear what you do best and some of your best songs.
There should be magic in the world. When they listen back and listen to those songs, I want them to fall in love with them when I leave the stage. Live shows are visual. “Despite selling over ten million records, while growing up in Ladbroke Grove, west London, Heather never imagined having the legacy she does now.
She questioned whether she anticipated leaving a significant impression on the music industry. “Not really,” she said. You hope for these things, she said, “You hope that people will suddenly start singing along when they hear a few beats.” I wanted to have songs that people resonated with as an audience.
Why would I do it, then? I would stay in my bedroom, you do want people to enjoy what you do. Otherwise, why would you perform on stage? I felt like I had to do this because I wanted people to know. Every time I go on stage, it’s a joy for me. I’ve always wanted to do it and will continue to do it. I never want people to believe that I’ve grown complacent.
” I feel there’s an expectation on me that I should deliver. I’ve been doing it for a long time, and I’ve always found that people are eager to hear the songs, so I take them on stage and perform something they’re not expecting. That’s what I try to accomplish with each performance. Her 5ft4 frame and her larger-than-life persona stand out in stark contrast.
She said: “When you see some great performers, you know, you think to yourself, yeah, that’s larger than life. Freddie Mercury, Prince, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, they get on stage. They fill that space.” Growing up though, larger than life musicians are the same people Heather admired.
What she listened to were singers like Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, who “tell a story” through their music. She said, “It takes you on a journey and causes you to experience some kind of emotion.” She added:” It makes you feel more than you are, you can achieve more than you thought. “
However, there is a singer called Nina Simone, who Heather acknowledges she will continue to listen to throughout her life. She writes a protest song, has it all, is feisty with it, has that distinctive voice, has that musicality, has fire, and is an all-round favorite, “she beamed.
Famed for her megahit Proud, which has been certified Gold, what is the one aspect of her career that makes her most proud”? That I’m still singing, Heather said. She continued, “That people still come to hear me sing. That is the most joyous, I couldn’t ask for more.
I prefer an audience over singing to myself or in my bedroom. I enjoy having an audience. An audience like today is magnificent, anybody can see why I still love doing it.
I enjoy doing this when I receive that kind of love and appreciation. What do you want to do? was a question asked back in the day. I always say keep singing. To the best of my ability, I look after myself, physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Source: Mirror
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