It’s not everyday we get the chance to chat to one of worlds hottest girl-bands so when the email dropped asking if we wanted to have a chat with one of the girls from The Saturdays about their new single ‘Gentleman’ (Out Now) we jumped at the chance. We gave irish beauty Una Healy a bell a few days before the release of the single to talk details. We find out who’s got the best rap skillz, find out which 90’s men are worthy of the ‘Gentleman’ title and ask what they really mean when they say ‘Taste My Rainbow’.
‘Gentleman’ is available to buy now and you can check out more from The Sats right here – https://www.facebook.com/TheSaturdays
HTF: Hi Una! How are you? Everything good?
U: Yeh everything’s good although I mite sound a bit funny cus I’ve got really bad sinusitis because all the high pollen count in the air. It’s like someone is sticking a knife in my eye.
HTF: Aww no!
U: Apart from that I’m fine *laughs*
HTF: You need to get one of the Vicks vapour things on the go.
U: I’ve got antihistamines and Sudafed so I’ve tried everything now.
HTF: Your tough you will pull through!
U: *laughs*
HTF: So your new single ‘Gentleman’ is out Sunday?
U: Yeh on the 30th. Quite a significant date for me as myself and Ben are married a year on the 30th so it’s our anniversary weekend. Double whammy!
HTF: Congrats! Is the single gonna be another number 1?
U: I don’t know. Hopefully a double celebration. We are just so pleased we have had a number one now cus we always had that question “Oh, could this be the number one?” so at least we don’t have that pressure and people can’t really ask us that anymore. We are so delighted to have had a number one but we were around for a few years without having one and it didn’t seem to stop us. Even a top 10 we would be thrilled with.
HTF: Yeh, cus you formed in 2007 right?
U: Yeh 6 years since we got together and 5 years since the first single. It’s gone by so fast.
HTF: Well hopefully with all your recent promotion in America we can get you a U.S number 1 now?
U: Oh gosh yeah! Hopefully!
HTF: So on ‘Gentleman’ you have all started doing some rapping. Is this because you have been hanging out with Flo Rida and Sean Paul too much?
U: Yeh their influence has probably rubbed off yeah. *laughs* It’s more like fast talking rather than rapping. We try our best anyway and it’s something different for us as well.
HTF: Were any of the girls particularly good and surprised you?
U: If I had to pick one who was the best it would probably be Vanessa. She’s got the most, the biggest chunk. She’s the best. She wouldn’t want to admit that but she’s got that sorta ‘swag’ or whatever you wanna call it. She can pull it off better than the rest of us.
HTF: She’s the Nicki Minaj of The Saturdays!
U: She is! She could give Nicki Minaj a run for her money I reckon.*laughs*
HTF: I would like to see that. A Saturdays VS Nicki Minaj battle!
U: If anyone was to feature on this single I think Nicki Minaj would do that really well. We always get asked that question ‘Who do you want to collaborate with?” and I’d love to have Nicki Minaj guest on ‘Gentleman’.
U: It’s quite tongue-in-cheek. I think we would have been too young for a real husband back then you know? *Laugh* It’s kinda like the 90’s is the new 80’s and people have become very nostalgic about that time and I can hear it in a lot of music right now.
HTF: All the people listed in the song aren’t really 90’s people? Little Wayne, Obama?
U: *laughs* They were all alive, they were there you know? They were knocking around they just weren’t famous.
HTF: I’ve made a list of some real 90’s men and I want you to let us know if you think they were gentlemen. So first up, Abs from Five?
U: Well no, back then he was a massive party animal wasn’t he? I don’t think he would have been back then. Maybe now, but not in the 90’s
HTF: How about Zack from Saved By The Bell?
U: I loved him! Him and Slater. They would be on the list.
HTF: MC Hammer?
U: He would have to be, with the MC Hammer pants and all that. He has to go on the list, definitely!
HTF: Scatman John?
U: Yeh we can put him on there. He could feature with us and do some scatting. If we couldn’t get Nicki Minaj then we could get him in there.
HTF: And finally, James Van Der Beek from Dawsons Creek?
U: The one with the big forehead?
HTF: *laughs* Yeh, that’s the one?
U: Yeh you can put him in there. He was a very 90’s icon wasn’t he.
HTF: So only Abs from Five failed there then. We did well!
U: If I could think of anyone else 90’s I’d maybe put one of the Backstreet Boys. Nick Carter?
HTF: He always seemed a nice guy.
U: Yeh he was always really nice
HTF: We had a fan question asking what is meant by the term ‘Taste My Rainbow’ in the songs lyrics?
U: It’s what ever you want to make of it yourself. It’s one of those things where you can see them as innuendos or think of them as popsicles that are rainbow coloured, like Fruit Pastels. *laughs*
HTF: I was wondering wether u had some secret endorsement with Skittles, ‘Taste The Rainbow”?
U: Oh, yeah! *Laughs* Yeh, it’s Skittles. Tell them that!
HTF: So, everyones asking about the new album. Do you have a name for it yet?
U: We haven’t confirmed a title yet but should be out in the autumn time. We had a few sort-of working titles but haven’t settled yet.
HTF: Are we gonna be seeing a different side to The Saturdays this time?
U: It’s all still very Saturdays still. We’ve got a bit of everything. We’ve got some up-tempo songs, a couple of really heart-felt ballads. It’s pop music really.
HTF: You actually play guitar and write your own songs. Do you get involved with the writing process at all?
U: Normally when we do acoustic sessions it’s a set part of our show but I don’t pick a guitar up in the studio. I wouldn’t be good enough for that I don’t think.
HTF: Don’t put yourself down. You never know!
U: I would love to. I can’t this album but maybe next album I would love to do a nice ballad just acoustic as one of the bonus tracks or something. Just guitar and nothing else. That’s very similar to what I used to do before I was in the band. It’s not exactly very Saturdays. I’m not sure if the fans would like it or not.That’s the only thing.
HTF: I’m sure they would love it! Didn’t you release your own EP a while back?
U: Yeh, it was that kinda sound. Very acoustic, very simple and not a lot of heavy production. You could re-create it live very easily. That was before I was in the group.
HTF: On the next Saturdays tour I think you should be your own support act!
U: *laughs* Oh I don’t know about that. That would get people talking. Has Una gone solo now?
HTF: *laughs*. On another note, I heard you are the best drunk in the band?
U: I’m the nice one. I’m not an aggressive type I love everyone. They love it cus i’m so nice. *laugh*
HTF: Who is the worst one then? Who’s the trouble maker?
U: None of them are bad. They are all lovely, very good and fun. Vanessa is probably the biggest partier so goes out more as she lives in London and doesn’t have a screaming baby at home. Not that Aoife screams *laughs*. I gotta be careful as I don’t drink often so literally after 2 glasses I feel like I’m drunk.
HTF: We gonna looking at a tour later in the year?
U: We got Frankie who’s expecting a baby later in the year so we won’t be going on tour without her so once she has had her baby and ready to come back we will hopefully tour early next year. That’s the plan.
HTF: Thanks so much for chatting with us! Any last messages you wanna send out to your fans.
U: Thanks so much for all the support and getting us to number one and we hope you love this new single as much as the last and come and see us. Visit our website for any dates we have. We’ve got one in Hyde Park on sunday week (July 7th) and lots of other shows over summer
Interviewer: Chris Hines
