In 2008, Gabriella's Sweet About Me was the most-played song on the radio. Now she's returning to the airwaves with new single On a Mission as well as a sexy new look and a new album. We find out why she's gone disco on us and why she's a sci-fi geek...
Q: The new single sounds very influenced by disco. Does that sound carry through the rest of your new album, Ten?
A: Definitely. There is a lot of over-the-top stuff going on on the record. It's been inspired by late 70s/early 80s disco so think things like Flash Dance, Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor. It's got that type of vibe going on. There's a few sexier, chilled-back tracks. There's one track called Superman that I did with Greg Kurstin. It's really sexy. He was really fun to work with. He kind of looks like Napoleon Dynamite. Even the stuff he's done with Lily Allen is genius.
Q: Did you set out to make a disco record?
A: No, I tried this kind of bossa nova thing to begin with and then I tried this New Orleans piano kind of record, because I love that scene, but I'm really not that great on piano. It took me a while to work out what direction I wanted to go in.
Q: You worked with Xenomania again on this album. What was that like?
A: It was fun. We only ended up having one track on the record as they're so busy with other things. It's called Hearts Don't Lie and actually turned out to be one of my favourite tracks on the album. It was really fun working with them and the track has a really funky bass line.
Q: Your last album was called Lessons to Be Learned. Did you learn anything from making that album that affected the way you approached the follow-up?
A: I've learned to definitely speak up and say how you feel about things. Also not to trust pretty faces...
Q: The video for On a Mission was inspired by Barbarella. Are you a fan of the movie?
A: I love Barbarella and I love Jane Fonda! I'm a bit of a sci-fi chick, a bit of nerd when it comes to stuff like that. I'm really into Lord of the Rings and those little collectable action figures! I'd love to be Cleopatra in the next video though!
Q: You played at Glastonbury last summer. Any plans to tour this year?
A: Nothing's been scheduled yet but I'd love to play the Royal Albert Hall and G.A.Y has just been confirmed, so that will be my first gig of the year. I think the sound of this album is opening up doors to audiences I haven't touched on before. It'll be interesting to see who ends up at my shows. Last year I had all these heavy metal boys follow me everywhere!
I'm really inspired by Pink's tours. She does all this amazing Cirque du Soleil stuff on her tours and I look at her with her abs of steel and think I could never do that! You won't see me flinging upside down anytime soon.
I also love La Roux and Ellie Goulding at the moment actually. I saw Ellie play at the Brits nominations party and I think her vocals are really cool.
Q: Lady Gaga has a very strong look. Would you agree that you're looking sexier than last time we saw you?
A: I think I'm showing a bit more skin considering I was hanging around in my jeans for the last couple of jeans. I guess it is sexier but the song is about a woman on a mission so you've kind of got to show a little bit of skin!
Interview by Colin Gentry.
The new single On a Mission is out now. The album Ten is released on March 22nd.
Fancy winning a signed Gabriella Cilmi poster? Then check out this competition on the Monkey website.
