While I was on holiday, my Smooth Radio colleague John Darroch had the pleasure of chatting to lovely Lulu.
A beauty icon, renowned for looking fantastic for her age, Lulu, 61, has brought out a book along with a beauty range.
But first John talked music with the Scottish-born, international star.
Lulu’s first hit, in 1964, was Shout. Did she think after this length of time it would still be a floor-filler?
“I was singing it when I was playing the clubs in Glasgow when I was 13 or 14 and when I finally had my audition in London and was told I had a record contract, I really didn’t think Shout would be the first single. I thought The Beatles should have written me a song.”
Looking back over five decades in the entertainment industry, what would Lulu say was the highlight of her career?
“I think there’s probably so many. Think about it: you’re 15 years old, you love The Beatles, you get to meet them, you get to work with them, your record’s in the charts, they’re saying it’s a great record, I had a TV series at 17, then I get to be in a big movie ... all those things are amazing.”
How did the now famous Take That collaboration on Relight My Fire come about?
“I had just done an album, Independence, and the first single was also called Independence.
“It was a very popular dance record and Take That were going strong and they and their manager loved that album and that track. So when they were thinking about doing Relight My Fire, the record company were talking to them about getting a nice diva to sing with them, and they threw my name in.
“When they came to me, I said: ‘Are you daft? Me singing with a wee boy band. I’m really a bit old for that!’. But they said they’d love me to try it in the studio. If you didn’t like it, or it didn’t work out then fine, but any way, the rest is history!”
So on to beauty: was Lulu active behind the scenes with Lulu’s Secrets to Looking Good and the Timebomb beauty range?
“It’s a business I started with a friend of mine. We’ve worked on a lot of projects and when I was getting interviewed about an album, people would get over the music and say: ‘Tell me your secrets. How come you look the way you do?’.”
So are there lots of good tips in the book?
“I did this book because women ask me and I’m one of those women who, if you come up to me in the street and ask where I got my bag, I’ll tell you. I want to be helpful. I want women to look great.”
So, back to music, after the Here Come the Girls Tour last year, what has Lulu got planned for the future?
“There’s another one (tour) coming up November/December, and there’s talk of going to Australia and then doing a European tour.”
And is music still her first love: “That’s my passion and always has been. I have a granddaughter now and I’m constantly singing in her ear, because that’s what my dad used to do to me. Maybe that’s how it works!”
- Listen to Dave Marshall on 105.2 Smooth Radio, weekdays 4-8pm and Saturdays 2-6pm
