AS THE VOICE OF ‘PERFECT DANCE-POP’ BAND M PEOPLE, HEATHER SMALL WAS ONE OF THE MOST GIFTED SINGERS OF HER GENERATION…
She grew up on a West London council estate and, not wanting to be stereotyped or treated differently, she knew from early on that she wanted to make something of herself. And make something of herself she did… After a false start with the band Hot House, a chance meeting with Manchester DJ Mike Pickering led to over ten million album sales worldwide, singing with his group M People. In 2000, Heather released her debut solo album PROUD – and the iconic single of the same name which went on to become the soundtrack to a whole host of special events including London’s successful 2012 Olympic bid, the 60th anniversary of VE Day in Trafalgar Square, the launch of Queen Mary 2, the Tsunami Relief Concert, England’s victory at the Rugby World Cup celebrations, and the official ceremony marking the handover of the Olympic Games from Beijing to London. When US TV icon Oprah Winfrey was looking for a song to sum up the work she’d been striving to achieve over her twenty-year career, Heather squeezed in a trip across the Atlantic to perform on the show right in the middle of her last UK tour with M People (‘If Oprah calls, you go!’ she laughs, adding that the first lady of chat was ‘very sweet to me’). In 2008, Heather danced her way into the British public’s affection as a contestant in STRICTLY COME DANCING. Now, on the verge of a new orchestral album and extensive UK tour, Heather talks to The Mouth Magazine…

Order ORCHESTRAL GREATEST HITS here
Heather Small UK tour dates and tickets here