Ministry of Sound interviews Imogen

http://www.ministryofsound.com.au/international_ctemplate.cfm?page_id=81144191112961010&se_id=112


do you want her? (well, she asked!)

Tell us about the single.
I actually have MoS Autralia to thank for that one. Basically I was looking for material and my name was put forward for the track. I had already heard the instrumental version of the track, which was a great club success and had heard Michael Woods' 'Warrior'. My name was put forward and basically Michael asked me to demo the vocals and I did and so it all just kind of was put together from there.

Did you have any creative input on this track?
I do write lyrics and I just came back from Europe promoting the single, and I was working with some great producers there doing some co-writes and putting down some original material for an album that we are working on. From a creative point of view I chose this song because lyrically it was in sync with where I come from and the way I write, but I didn't produce the track, I didn't write it, so I did just bring vocals to this particular one.

The thing you're doing in the UK is a solo album?
Yes.

Have you always wanted to do music?
Definitely, it's for me the reason I'm known for my modelling. I guess what a lot of people don't know - the reason I got into modelling was in order to establish a profile and the reason I did that was because these days kids grow up with free music and in order to get a deal or a record company budget you really have to be a bankable investment. I think having a profile had probably helped that along to the point of where I still have to sing and fit the project but I think that it was definitely an added ingredient that helped.

Your career thus far has been focused on your appearance - how do you plan to shift the focus onto your music?
I think that these days as far as the music industry goes I think that the visual mediums as such - clips and pictures - really are from an artist point of view, an opportunity to put your creative input into another aspect of your music career. I think they are very important tools and tools that are almost essential these days of you look at people like Madonna and Christina Aguelira and people like that who are absolute geniuses at utlising the visual medium. So I think that modelling was a great training ground but I think that when it comes down to hearing the song on the radio and whether you like it or not, yes looks help and yes it helps if you're able to use those in the visual side, but at the end of the day you can't fool someone else's ears with your looks. So I think it helps, but it's not the only thing.

Is dance music what you ultimately want to be doing?
The reason I chose to do this particular song is purely because I loved the song, it wasn't a genre-based decision. I have a really broad CD collection and really broad taste in music, I love to dance and I love this song and that's why I chose it. But on the long term side of things the next move for me with the album will have a bit of a rock flavour to it. I won't say that I won't do anymore dance tracks 'cause I'm also working on doing a follow up with Michael Woods and I never say never. I also try - I think people have seen with my career, which has been varied - I never try to stick myself in a particular box and stay there.

Do you go out much?
I don't go out as much as I'd like to at the moment - because I have a hectic schedule - when I do go out I like to dance so I like to go where there's great music so that's pretty much all I like to do when I go out.

Where would you like your career to end up ideally?
I think for me, I try and not hold great expectations as far as success level goes. What I do is, I remember two years ago when I wanted to get a cover of a certain magazine and then I got it. I've had steps along the way where I've been able to go okay, you know, I've done that now and that's great. I wanted to have one song that I heard in a club and saw people dance to and for me, 'If you want me' has really given me that. So I just kind of feel my way like that and let my career blossom and I'm sure at some points it's slipped down but I just kind of let it go and do what it will and just be happy with what comes.

Okay, where would you not like it to go?
I think I would be really disappointed if the music didn't work 'cause it's really a passion for me. I love writing and I love singing, I love performing so if the music was to be a dismal failure, you would probably find that I would still have a house somewhere with a studio and still be working on my music.

Who are your favourite artists?
There's probably no one I look to as such for direction as far as inspiration goes but as far as people that I look to and admire, I would say at the moment I am a huge Beyonce fan, 50 cent, Eminem I think is an absolute genius and Bono I think is an amazing songwriter. Robbie Williams, Christina Aguelira. There's so many people.

Do you ever get sick of people looking at you?
Everybody has good days and everybody has bad days and if it's a rainy day and you'd rather be at home snuggled up under your doona watching soap operas or whatever, I think that yeah it is hard because everybody doesn't have every single day where they're happy and chirpy and want to be out there. I think that's part of this career, it's part of the job and if you didn't think that you were going to get the attention in that way and you weren't prepared for it then it's a journey that you shouldn't take.

For me, just like anybody else in this job, I'm a praise-driven person and I find that when I do get those situations and someone comes up to me in the street, it always feels like a good thing to me cause it's like your boss tapping you on the back and saying you've done a great job and that it kind of like the fruit of motivation I guess.

Are you afraid of having your music judged by your appearance?
One of the things that I'm about, I am about going against the grain and at five foot two, to have had success in the modelling industry is a great body image issue to girls. Because it says that you don't have to be extremely tall to succeed in the modelling industry. For me, I'm just glad that I've been able to go against some of those things and still be happy in what I do - I'm very in touch with my sexuality which is why when I do the sexy stuff I do it because I love it. Cause I want girls to know that it's okay to do that, it's not a bad thing, so I've been lucky enough not to have had negative stuff. I'm sure if I had a search on the Internet I might find something but I won't subject myself to that.

'If You Want Me' by Michael Woods feat the lovely Imogen is out now. Listen to it in our downloads section.

http://www.ministryofsound.com.au/international_ctemplate.cfm?page_id=81144191112961010&se_id=112