With their last album going platinum, MOBO award-winning N-Dubz are back with new album Against All Odds and hoping to do even better. We caught up with them recently to find out about working with Mr Hudson and their plans for world domination.
Last year saw a number of acts such as yourself, Tinchy Stryder and Chipmunk that suggest that UK urban music is returning again and the grime genre is attracting a wider fan base. Do you think this will continue?
T: Yeah, 100%. I don't think it's a phase now. I think, that's it, we've kicked down the doors and made urban music as much a part of commercial music as pop music. It's just a different genre like indie-rock. UK urban music has its spot. I don't think it will going anywhere.
You've been working together on music for ten years. Would any of you like to do a solo project on the side at some point?
T: There was always going to be a point in maybe two years where we'll go off – Dappy will do a solo album, I'll do a solo album, Fazer will do solo production – and then we'll go back to each other. It'll always be in-house, we'll always be involved and there will always be an N-Dubz album. If I was to do a solo album, then I would want Fazer to produce it and if I was co-write with anyone I would want Dappy to write with me.
Would you like to break America?
D: I think we'll definitely cut it in America. I think we'll go over there and they'll like the way that we work together as a group. I want to show America how good urban music can get in this country. I want to show them that we do it properly as well. We can make it just as melodic and powerful and unique.
T: I think you have a duty as an entertainer to branch out and want to be worldwide. I don't think you're aiming high enough if you don't. That's the whole point of why I'm a musician: I want the world to hear my music. We will definitely at some point be attempting to break America.
You have scored a No.1 and had a platinum album. What next do you want to achieve?
T: I want to sell a million albums.
D: And get more No.1's.
T: We want a Brit award.
D: I mean, it's good that we won Best Album and Best UK Act in 2007, four for the MOBOs, but now we wanna win a Brit.
T: We've got to keep aiming higher.
Interview by Colin Gentry
N-Dubz's new single with Body Rox, We Dance On, is featured in the upcoming movie Street Dance 3D and is this week's VIP track on 4Music.
