AS the Olympic Games come to a close this weekend, one song is bound to sum up the performance of Team GB more than any else.
Proud by Heather Small became synonymous with the gold-rush at London 2012, and despite being released 16 years ago the words still manage to strike a chord with people in a variety of situations, from graduation ceremonies to sporting competitions.
“It’s had such a long life,” says Heather, who is playing at Rewind Festival in Henley this weekend. “It’s taken me everywhere, it’s been good to me.”
Heather, who found fame as the frontwoman of M People, has enjoyed great success since she first started performing as a teenager in the late eighties. She featured on Black Box’s re-recorded version of the UK Number 1 single Ride On Time, before her distinctive voice became the sound of the million-selling dance group in 1990. The group went on to shift 10 million albums worldwide before disbanding in 1998 to pursue solo projects.
“Everyone writes music that you think will save the world, so when you see people making your song a part of their life that is really, really special.
“Music has a way of showing how similar we all are. I think that is what Proud does, it shows that we all want the same things. But for me, seeing a crowd people singing the words back to me, that is an amazing feeling.”
Small released her second album Close To A Miracle in 2006, and between touring and appearing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2008, she hasn’t really stopped.
“It would be nice to get some new stuff out there. My goal for this year was to go on tour and sing as much as I could because that is what I love. I still have vocal lessons and I work hard to improve my voice all the time, so I just haven’t had the time to actually sit down and write new music.
“But I love performing, I force myself to do it as much as I can because otherwise I get nervous. The longer you leave between performances the worse it gets. But this is what I love to do so I go out as much as I can.”
Having been in the music business for nearly 30 years, it is difficult to think that someone as professional as Heath Small can get struck down by stage-fright. What advice does she offer to anyone who is just starting out in the industry?
“I have some relaxation and meditative exercises that I do before I go on stage, even after all this time I do still get nervous but it helps when you know what you want to achieve,” she says. “I am such a perfectionist, I always try to put on the best show I can. I remember this one show in Russia and it was just brilliant, everything was perfect and I hold that up as my marker now as to how good every show should be.
“Of course there will be times when something happens that is out of your control, but it’s all about how you deal with that, how you convince the audience that it was meant to happen and then just carry on like nothing has happened.
“I always look forward to performing though, and this weekend will be no different. Rewind is a great festiva, everyone is having fun, the artists are having fun and the audience sees what’s going on onstage and they really love it. That’s the main thing.”
Heather Small plays Rewind Festival on Sunday (21). Tickets start at £59.50 for day tickets, and £107.50 for weekend tickets. For more information and to book tickets visit www.rewindfestival.com.
