Roll Deep are ready to rock the music industry in 2012
What have Roll Deep got planned for 2012?
A lot hopefully, we've kind of been away for a while but in that time we've signed to a new label, we've been working on the new album which we've more or less completed now. We've got a single release in January, think it's the 23rd, and we've got the video for that. It's the first time I've been an official member in Roll Deep, me in the group and me coming out with them so it's exciting for me anyway, it's really cool.
How did you end up becoming a member?
We had the Green Light single that did really really well and I basically did that with the boys, did the tour and everything and they became my mates really. The other song they'd done before was was Jodie Connor and they'd found that they wanted a female singer but it was easier to have one rather than getting us all in to do it so they were like, T you want to just be part of Roll Deep and I was like yes, are you crazy! I'd been following them for a while and I just thought oh my gosh what an opportunity and that was it.
Roll Deep have been around for ages, have you always enjoyed their music?
You know what, they're in their tenth year and I remember when I was a kid, I grew up in Croydon, and me and my mates would listen to the old, old school Roll Deep, before Wiley was around and when they were battling and Rinse fm was around so I knew them as that kind of Roll Deep. It's mad to see how they've progressed, it's mad that I'm a member, I don't feel like I've earnt that really, I mean they must have thought that I did but it's so cool.
It's mad to see how they've progressed. It's mad that I'm a member, I don't feel like I've earnt that really, I mean they must have thought that I did but it's so cool.
Have you always pursued a career in music?
You know what, I'd say no, because I was kind of born into it. My dad was in a band in the 1980's and they did quite well they were called Second Image, and when you're born into something like that, you're not really given an option, it's just in your blood and you just follow it. I've never pursued the idea of fame, I've always just wanted to sing and do music so I'm lucky I've just fell into this you know.
What's it like being the only female member?
It's wicked. It's really cool, everyone's like how do you deal with them but it's wicked it's so much fun. I myself, believe it or not, I'm actually quite low maintainance, I take less time getting ready than some of them, let's say that right now and I love it and they just kind of get on with it and there's no bitchiness and no sort of, who's stolen my shoe or my hangbag it's wicked and it's real I just love it.
So you'd rather be in Roll Deep than be in a girl band?
I think so yeah, I'm actually not really that girly so it suits me quite fine to be with them.
Are there any downsides?
Yes, some of their manly habits are just disgusting! We were on tour and I swear to god, I've never smelt the tour bus smell so bad it was really bad. One of them is lactose intolerant but continues to drink milky drinks so you can imagine what that's like, another snores for England. It's just the man thing, the stuff that a woman does slightly more delicately.
How many male members are there?
There's 10 but that's including the 2 dj's and they're involved in Roll Deep as well. Everyone thinks there's like 100 but there's not.
What was it like for you when Green Light went to number 1 in the charts?
You know what, I couldn't believe it but at the same time I'm one of these people, i'm an optimist but a realist at the same time and I thought it's amazing but it's just so easy to get all "woo hoo I've made it I've done it" but it's hard work. It's such hard work and just because you're there one minute doesn't mean you're going to be there the next minute so it's so cool and I'm so grateful but at the same time I had to keep cool about it, and I thought right, that's one thing done but there's so much more to do, but it was cool.
What's your favourite thing about being in Roll Deep?
Being surrounded by wicked guys. I was terrified when I first heard about Roll Deep I thought oh they're all going to be gangsters, I'm in trouble here, and they would absolutely kill me for saying this but a couple of them are big geeks. They're actually hilarious, they're a bunch of characters and I love it, we all bounce off each other and play tricks on each other it's just wicked.
What role do you play in Roll Deep? Do you just sing or do you write as well?
Yes, I write and sing and I've done a lot of writing on the new album which is so cool to do, because I've always wanted to do that, but the boys also write so I can't take complete credit. They've got involved in a couple of chorus's, stuff that I've had to sing, which has been cool. And also I'd say I make everything smell nice! And I bring a bit of order sometimes because some of the time keeping isn't always great.
Have you released any solo material?
No nothing official, I've always been working on a bit of solo stuff and before the boys came along that's kind of what I was aiming for really, just to concentrate on doing my own writing and solo stuff and then they asked me to be in Roll Deep, and it got pushed to one side which was actually really cool. But I think I'm going to carry on doing a bit of my solo stuff next year when there's time but at the moment the focus is definitely on Roll Deep. I will be doing some solo stuff at some point, hopefully!
New single Picture Perfect is released on 23rd January.
Alexandra Baracskai