With a number 1 single in America, a number 1 UK debut album, and over 6.5 million units shifted worldwide, Natasha Bedingfield is the UK’s biggest female pop star bar none - a bold, blonde, beautiful home grown answer to US Uber-Divas Christina Aguilera and Pink.Natasha took the US by storm last year with the first British chart topping hit by a female in almost twenty years. ‘Vanity Fair’ singled her out as the spearhead of a new Britpop invasion; Bono enlisted her for his (RED) campaign; and her song ‘Unwritten’ proved to be the most played song on mainstream American radio in 2006.The 25 year old blasted her way up the British charts in 2004 and is just about ready to release her second collection of songs entitled NB, which are, apparently, very much reflective of the "different place" she’s in now.Recorded in Los Angeles, Natasha has co-written and co-produced her new CD, working with a stellar team of talent including Mike Elizondo of Eminem/Dre/50 Cent fame, Adam Levine (Maroon 5), Greg Kurstin (Beck, Lily Allen), previous collaborators Steve Kipner, Andrew Frampton, Wayne Wilkins, Danielle Brisebois and Wayne Rodrigues and long time Madonna collaborator Pat Leonard. FemaleFirst were able to have a chat with this fabulously feisty musician about fashion, Frida and dog food amongst other things. Find out what she had to say below:

Can you tell us more about your latest musical offering - NB and its contrast to your first album
Well my new album is mostly about relationships and the many different stages, ups and downs and questions that come with them. It’s got a very live feel and is very influenced from being on tour. Some of the songs are quite fun and some of them are more serious.
You have been one of the faces of the clothing label Gap, alongside Mia Farrow and Common recently - can you splurge your very own fashion secrets to us
Oh! Well I like clothes that are flattering on your figure - they can be designer stuff or not you know. It’s quite fun to mix the high street with vintage - maybe one designer item or something. I used to just think that quantity was better but sometimes if you buy a really classic thing - even if it’s going to cost a little bit more, you end up wearing it. You can finish up mixing and matching a lot with other things.
Do you bother about your appearance in music videos and shoots more than you used to in the early days
Erm, I don’t think about it all. I enjoy it more. I enjoy the fact that you get to try different styles. For instance in my most recent music video I dress up, because I wanted to show how a girl sometimes changes for each guy that she’s with.

Recent reports say you were disappointed that you didn’t get to do the Rocky Six Soundtrack. Do you have a favourite film soundtrack of your own though
Yeah I got asked to be involved in it but I think the scene it was going to be in ended up being cut out of the movie. So the song wasn’t on there in the end. But I love the soundtrack from the movie Frida.
Your melodic hero, Prince, asked you to perform with him at a private bash recently. There’s obviously a public perception about this particular music icon but what did you think of him - did he surprise you
I think he is amazing. He was really friendly and he really came across, to me, as a genuine music lover. He invited the whole party to his house and he had all his instruments already set up when we arrived there. Everybody just jumped on them and started jamming. It was really fun.

You say your album covers the difficult issues, the experiences and the processes of relationships. Has the opposite sex ever had a hard time handling your success, as your profile has increased over the years
Well...er, I think men appreciate me and my stuff because I’m very tongue in cheek. I think the song "I Wanna Have Your Babies" for example gives a little bit of a sneaky peek into what us girls are thinking and I think they can take it for what it is. They can see the comedy side of it because I think most men will have been in that situation where some one has been a bit full on. A bunny boiler!

How are your other famous siblings Daniel and Nikola doing right now? Did you manage to meet up with them and the rest of your family at Easter
They’re doing great. They’re both actually in America right now - Nicola is being offered a record deal, which is fantastic. She’s a very good writer and singer and Daniel is making his own album, which also sounds brilliant.

You’re planning on touring in the near future - performing at a number of live dates. Are there any that you’re particularly looking forward to
Yeah I’ve got some really exciting dates coming up. Especially in September - I’ve got some venues that are really starting to get booked up.

Can you name the most ludicrous promotional thing that you’ve been asked to do
Well I was doing a teenage magazine and they were doing a truth or dare game. They were asking me questions and if I couldn’t answer they would make me do a dare. They got a bowl - like a dog’s dinner bowl and they chucked a can of steak in there to make it look like dog food. They wanted to take a picture of me next it - making it look as if I was going to eat it. It couldn’t have been any worse. Well maybe I could have thrown up!

I believe you’re collaborating with the R&B star Ne Yo - can you tell us more about that
Yeah - I’ve just written a song with him for the future. It was when he came over to England on his tour. That was wonderful I was really pleased to meet him.

Peter Andre reportedly had a fling at one point with a Spice Girl before marrying Jordan and Coldplay’s Chris Martin has confessed to being smitten with Lily Allen - have you ever had a crush on anybody in the music business
Oh yeah! Johnny Depp - but he’s not a musician. Other artists let me see - I quite fancy Robbie Williams and if Chris Martin weren’t married I would probably fancy him as well.

You now have a special someone though - your American boyfriend Matt Robinson. Do you think American guys are different from English ones
It’s too soon to say anything like moving in together or getting engaged. I’ve always been in long distance relationships - it’s how all my relationships have to be. I’m always travelling so I’m used to it you know.

Affairs of the heart are excellent for song writing material. The pressure put on women to find their soul mate in today’s society is huge - so what’s the worst date that you’ve ever had with a bloke
There was this one guy - I kept spilling all my drinks on him. Whatever I ended up drinking I kept doing it - on him, on me. I went on a couple of dates with him - but they were terrible.

Have you any other projects planned for the future
No. Right now I’m just writing other songs for the future. I love it!

The single ‘I Wanna Have Your Babies’ will be released digitally 2nd April 2007/ physically 16th April 2007. Natasha’s album ‘N.B.’ will be released on 30th April 2007.

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