It's been 35 years since ‘Boomania' took over the UK and introduced us to popstar/rapper Betty Boo. Earlier this year, she released celebratory editions of both her debut album and the follow up ‘Grrr!..It's Betty Boo' and embarked on her first ever solo tour. I caught up with Betty as she prepares for a second leg of her tour to keep the anniversary celebrations going.
Hello Betty! How are you today?
I'm fine thank you!
You are in a celebratory year to mark 35 years since your debut album ‘Boomania' and back in June you toured across the UK in what is your first UK solo tour – how has it taken so long?
Touring wasn't really a thing for new artists back then, it was more the bigger established artists and older acts. I was doing club PAs because my songs were crossover rap/dance, so I did perform loads, but I wasn't actually out on the road touring.
How much fun was the tour back in June? How did it feel to be performing songs from all across your career to fans that have supported you for all these years?
I absolutely loved it! I was very nervous at first, I guess it was the fear of the unknown and wondering if anyone would come and see me after a long time out of the limelight – but I was absolutely amazed at the response and energy. It was just pure joy! Everyone had a great time and I just can't wait to get going on the second part of the tour.
I came to see you in St Albans and it was a great show. Did you get to chat to any fans after the show?
I did meet and greets after the shows and heard lots of lovely stories from people who'd come to see the show. For instance, there was a brother and sister who were doing the dance that they learnt from watching TOTP years ago, and seeing everyone rapping back at me on songs like ‘Doin the Do' – it's quite a fast rap you know, so I was very impressed! It was like celebrating with friends and I just didn't know it existed out there as you feel like you'd have been forgotten. It felt like time hadn't passed at all.
It wasn't just nostalgia though, I also sang some new songs too which was a bit risky, but I feel like their sound fits nicely with my earlier material and the audiences responded well.
The second leg of the tour kicks off in Birmingham on 19th Nov and finishes in London on 14th December. You're visiting new towns and cities from the first leg including hopping over to Dublin. Will you be changing up the set list at all?
I'm thinking about playing around a little with the setlist, just tweak it slightly – I'm at the 3 weeks to go panic stage now! I really am looking forward to it – and also it won't be as hot as it was in June.
You've reissued your first two albums on special deluxe CD, vinyl and cassettes this year. What are some of your memories of making your debut album ‘Boomania'?
I was 19 years old and I just started making tunes in my bedroom and not many people, especially girls, were doing that at the time. I bought a sampler and a sequencer – a nice basic set up – and was able to write ‘Doin the Do' and ‘Where are you Baby?' by myself and I just didn't think anything was going to come of it. I wasn't a stage school kid or had plans to be famous, I just liked making tunes. I had gone to sound engineering school in Holloway Road as I was really interested in it and thought it would be a good skill to have.
Then for my music to have been successful… i just couldn't believe how much people loved it and being recognised for it and having done it my own way.. it was incredible for me. I won a BRIT Award too!
Did you experience any difficulties in being a young female in an emerging genre that was perhaps more male dominated?
Female artists were seen back then as puppets really – a lot of pop acts were at the mercy of record labels being told what to do and what to wear. I was signed to an independent label called Rhythm King and they just embraced everything that i wanted to do and got behind me. I wouldn't say I was lucky, but I was definitely in the right place to do what I wanted to do.
After your second album you took some time out for personal reasons and then turned your hand to writing for others and in the early noughties your track ‘Pure & Simple' was chosen as the lead for Hear'say and joined the illustrious million selling singles club in the UK. How did all that come about?
It was written for a girl group that Simon Cowell was putting together called Girl Thing and he didn't really like the song so stuck it as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of their album and I just completely forgot about it. Then it appeared on the TV Show ‘Popstars' and I was really surprised by it's success. The power of TV shows at that time for music was huge.
In 2022, you came back with your third studio album ‘Boomerang!' a very apt title. What made you want to return to releasing your own music again?
I hit the big five-oh (50) and i thought where has the time gone? I'd always meant to make a record again and put it on the back burner. I actually didn't know where to start, I was originally making records when i was 19/20 and I thought what would a 50 year old Betty Boo sound like now?
Before lockdown I was working with my co-producer Andy Wright and we started on one little tune and we hit it off really well. When lockdown happened we worked virtually as we didn't have a choice – if I hadn't done new music I'd have had to make banana bread! I thought I'll just start writing and see where it went. It restored my faith in the creative process, I got into a zone and I got my identity back again.
When you get to middle age you feel like you're not being seen and I thought, well I can do something about that for myself and have a focus and do something fun. It's never too late to do what you have to do and don't worry about what anyone else thinks, just go for it and enjoy it.
This was swiftly followed by last year's ‘Rip Up The Rule Book', are there any plans for new music going forward?
I'm working on some more new music at the moment and I'm actually going back in the studio next week – i have some great ideas! I was really inspired by the tour and making new music for those who want to hear it. Momentum is quite important and I can't imagine not doing it now. It keeps me stimulated and thinking outside the box. I feel like I've just started again really!
Tickets are on sale now for ‘Boomania 35' tour – buy tickets.
