| Gareth takes a sip of his drink, stares into space as if in a dream and begins drumming out a rhythm on his pad... Did you meet any of your idols at this year's Brit Awards? 'In situations like that, I like to play it cool. It looks a bit cheap if you're sat there and you're going, There's whoever! I saw Pink; we're on the same label. Even if it was Michael Jackson, I'd be cool. Inside I'd be like, that's my idol, but to his face I'd be like, OK mate.' When you didn't win Best Single, your face came up on the big screen... 'Yeah, there was a cutaway shot of me. You see yourself and you're like, [suddenly smiles and starts clapping] well done!' Highlights of the show? 'I loved Coldplay. The green lights, the lasers... they were amazing.' You could do that, play piano and sing like Chris Martin... 'I know. It'd be like, listen to me!' Are you envious of his cred? 'No. I just think he's amazing. The way I deal with it is... it's a route for me to go in the future. I want people to see everything about me.' How do you think people perceive you now? 'The way that people see me now is not the way I want to be seen. People see me as a pretty face with a voice, but there's so much more: my instruments, my writing, Hopefully the bext album will let people see the real me.' Will you be playing instruments in the videos? 'Maybe. I want some more choreography, on the street with a crowd, Not just me in a suit, walking round Veice, hahaha!' So your new album will be... 'A much sexier album. More raw. Not artificial. Less cheese. Music I want to make. Raw, R&B [starts performing Justin Timberlake style human beatbox]...' With fewer cover versions? 'Hopefully. If you sing someone else's song, the writer or producer will be like, 'It's supposed to be like this, not the way you're singing it,' If it's your own music, you can say, No, I wrote it, I want it sound like this. Then they can't say owt, can they?' Any songs already written? 'I've written two, and I'm going to be laying down one of them next month. I'm not sure if that should be the next single. All I can tell you is, it's upbeat and really sexy. Proper sexy. Proper upbeat, raw-sounding.' As Gareth finishes his drink and pulls on his coat, there's just enough time left to discuss one final, very important subject... What football team do you support, Gareth? 'Leeds, Leeds, Leeds... I've met some of the players too.' Are they fans of yours? 'Nah! But next time I'm going up, I'll give you a call. We'll go to the players' lounge after the game.' And with that- a typical bloke promise that will almost certainly end up unkept (not that us blokes mind that)- Gareth is off, thinking proper sexy songs and, no doubt, proper sexy girls... |