EXCLUSIVE: SATURDAY FIGHT FEVER
4th March 2009
By James Cabooter
WATCH out Girls Aloud – foxy fivesome The Saturdays are hot on your heels and determined to steal your crown as Britain’s top girl band.
The gorgeous quintet – Frankie Sandford, Mollie King, Vanessa White, Rochelle Wiseman and Una Healy – have already cracked the Top 10 with their first three singles If This Is Love, Up and Issues.
Now they’re aiming to be bigger than Girls Aloud and reckon the Love Machine hitmakers had better watch their backs.
In an exclusive chat with Playlist, the girls opened their hearts about coping with their newfound success, their hopes for the future – and how they’re not causing enough scandal… yet.
The Saturdays have recorded the official Comic Relief song, a cover of Depeche Mode’s 80s classic Just Can’t Get Enough, and admit it was a dream come true to land such a top job.
“We grew up watching Comic Relief and have had a great time dressing up in giant red noses,” says Frankie, 20.
Despite gunning for Girls Aloud’s crown, The Saturdays admit they owe their success to their pop rivals.
Blonde Mollie, 21, explains: “We supported them last summer and we learned so much from them.”
Now Girls Aloud have notched up a BRIT award, The Saturdays want the same.
Frankie says: “A few years ago pop bands like them wouldn’t have had a look-in at the BRITs but that’s changing.”
Rochelle, who was in S Club Juniors with Frankie, adds: “The days of just getting some pretty models who look half-decent to mime on stage are over. We all sing and we always do our vocals live all the time.”
That they are able to is down to the fact they were hand-picked by record bosses to form a new girl group last year. Not unlike the legendary Spice Girls, in fact.
Una, 27, says: “To follow them with Comic Relief is amazing. Some people said it might be too early for us to do Comic Relief but The Spice Girls only had three hit singles before they did it and look what happened to them.”
The Saturdays are a dead cert for No 1 come Sunday but chart success comes at a price – their social lives.
Frankie admits: “I’m not going to say stuff like us falling out of clubs will never happen because that’s just tempting fate.
“But we’re working so hard that we can’t afford to be tired and hungover the next day. But I think our management would like us to be a bit more outrageous!”
Just Can’t Get Enough is out now.
THE SATURDAYS
Mollie
Blonde Mollie was in a couple of girl bands and even auditioned for The X Factor before joining The Saturdays.
She’s the posh one and gets mistaken for Sienna Miller when out and about.
Mollie, 21, says: “I’m pretty excitable and I’ve got one of the loudest laughs you’ll ever hear.”
She likes long-haired men – and would love to meet a surfer dude.
Una
This Celtic belle first found fame as a champion swimmer before discovering rock music and winning Ireland’s Glinsk Song Contest twice.
Una is an accomplished guitarist and at 27 years of age is the most sensible member of the group.
“We all get on so well because we’re all willing to work our butts off,” she says. And sorry, fellas – she’s already dating rugby player Ben Foden, 23.
Vanessa
Somerset babe Vanessa is the group’s very own Mariah Carey and comes armed with the most incredible vocal range.
She’s appeared in several theatre shows, including The Lion King in London’s West End.
Vanessa, 19, says: “I don’t know where my voice came from but we all take a role singing the songs, there’s no one lead singer.”
This beauty may seem shy at first but cheeky Vanessa adores honest men – and loves getting into trouble with her partner-in-crime Frankie.
Frankie
A former member of S Club Juniors, fussy Frankie loves the important things in life like chocolate croissants and going to gigs but hates it when people make noise while they’re eating.
The 20-year-old says: “I always have to say something.”
She loves a good-looking fella but don’t go getting any ideas, boys – she’s currently dating McFly heart-throb Dougie Poynter, 21.
Rochelle
One of the most recognisable members of the group, Rochelle was another member of S Club Juniors before becoming a BBC children’s presenter for two years.
She’s the party animal of the group and loves shopping.
Rochelle, 20, says: “I don’t like saving for a rainy day. If it’s raining, I’ll go shopping anyway.”
Someone tall, dark and with muscles floats Rochelle’s boat.