After 12 years and thirty million albums Andrea Corr has flown the family nest and decided to go it alone.Andrea's debut solo single is out next week, followed by her much anticipated album at the end of the month. She talks to us about stepping out on her own, dreams of starting a family and the image obsessed music industry.What was it like recording on your own?Strange. It was very different. I felt more exposed and vulnerable without the rest of the band. We very much protect each other and it was weird not having them there. The album was produced by Nellee Hooper who has worked with Bjork and Massive Attack. It sounds quite different to the Corrs music. Was that deliberate? It is different and I want people to know it is. I'm very proud of the music the Corrs made and will make in the future but this is very much my own sound. Nelee is not the sort of producer the Corrs would usually have so it was inevitable it was going to sound different. I wouldn't say deliberate though. I had actually already written a lot of the songs before i decided to go solo. Do you have a favourite song on the album?

No I don't have a favourite. The album is a complete story. That's how i wanted it to be. I always remember the excitement of buying a new record. Like when the new prince album would come out I would get excited about buying it because I would enjoy every song on it.

How are the rest of the Corrs? Do you get to see much of them these days?

Yeah I do see them a lot still. I saw Sharon only last week. They are all busy with their families now. They are working hard and finding it tough going at times. They keep saying 'jesus give me a day of promo please' (laughs)

Do you have any plans to start a family?

I don't have any plans as such but I am definitely looking forward to it one day. It is something what I really want to do eventually but like I said I don't have any plans to do it at the moment.

You have also won awards for your acting. Do you plan to be in any more films in the future?

Well I was supposed to do a film last year. It came up just after the album had been recorded and I could of done it in the time between recording and releasing it but it was an independent film and unfortunately the financing fell through. They managed to get the finance in the end but the filming started just as I started promoting the album so I didn't have the time. The film is called Knife Edge and it's directed by Tony Hickox. Hopefully I will get to do some more acting though.

It has been reported today that girl group All Angels are refusing to reveal any more flesh in their publicity material. What do you think about the way the music industry can be obsessive about image?

By wearing very little I would be saying my music isn't good enough so I have to take my clothes off. It's getting so bad these days I half expect people to start taking off their skin next because they have taken off as many clothes as they can. I think there are so many young girls who are demeaning themselves. They feel they must get a boob job and have perfectly toned abs to get anywhere and it's not a good example to set. It's like they are saying 'you don't like my music so here's my body'. Personally I'm not into that. I think there's so much more beauty in leaving a bit of mystery.

Have you ever felt pressured to change your image? No never because it's never been something that the Corrs would stand for.

Andrea's debut single ‘Shame On You (to keep my love from me)’ is out 18th June. The album 'Ten Feet High' is released 25th June.

Caz Moss

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