EXCLUSIVE: Faye Tozer and Michelle Visage on the brand-new Steps collab 🙌
“Everybody is going to flip out!”
Jordan Lee caught up with Steps’ Faye Tozer and Ru Paul’s Drag Race star Michelle Visage to chat about their new single ‘Heartbreak In This City’.
Yes, you heard that right, pop superstars Steps and Drag Race icon Michelle Visage have teamed up for a collaboration on the group’s track ‘Heartbreak In This City’.
Taken from Steps’ sixth studio album ‘What The Future Holds’, the new track is the fourth single to be taken from the record, following ‘To The Beat Of My Heart’ released in January.
The collaboration is the first Steps have ever done and the special remix comes after Faye and Michelle formed a friendship from their shared experiences as contestants on Strictly Come Dancing and both playing the role of Miss Hedge in the West End production of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
Faye told Jordan Lee on Hits Radio Pride, “We connected quite deeply last year. The Strictly season had just begun and we found ourselves having a weekly chat on WhatsApp about what was going on. We both partnered Giavanni so we had our own little stories going on, we ended up having loads and loads of fun and banter.
“When Steps released the album, we got really excited and were trying to look for some amazing people to help promote the album and we all wanted to talk to Michelle!”
Steps took to Instagram Live to chat to Michelle and the idea snowballed.
Michelle said, “We were talking and we thought, well we should do something together. That’s really where it was born, on Instagram live. You hear about stuff all the time and you think nothing of it, and then Adam their manager reached out. I couldn’t believe it!
“You would have to be a fool not to want to be on a Steps track, this is like a dream come true for a little girl like me who was a popstar in the late 80s and early 90s and to have a huge group like Steps ask, you’d be an idiot not to.”
Faye added, “I love the 80s vibe of the song, it’s kind of nostalgic, it’s like you have heard it before. There is something about this song that I really love. It was just an obvious choice for us, that Michelle would do this one.”
Not only is Michelle Visage a brilliant judge on Ru Paul’s Drag Race, she enjoyed an incredible music career. She was part of the girl group Seduction, who’s track ‘The S.O.U.L S.Y.S.T.E.M’ appeared on The Bodyguard soundtrack, alongside Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’.
Michelle described how excited she was to work with the group.
She said, “I wouldn’t even call it an opportunity, this is like a moment for me, I’m so excited to be part of it. I loved that song on the album, so when they sent it over I was hoping they would say that one! They are so skilled in pop music, my voice is very different, how are they going to make me sound like I fit in? But I do! That’s the genius behind the producers. When I heard it I didn’t want to ruin it, their voices are so good on this track, the way they did it is seamless. I think everybody is going to flip out!”
Steps’ dance moves are as famous as the songs themselves and Faye promised that their was choreography being thought up for the song in the Steps camp ahead of their tour later this year.
Michelle said, “There better be choreography, as you can see, me and Faye are incredible Ballroom and Latin dancers so of course, we have to do some iconic Steps choreography!”
Steps are set to go on a UK arena tour in November 2021 and Faye explained how excited the group are to get back on stage.
Faye said, “Getting ourselves back on tour is going to be the highlight of the last two years. Just being able to dance together with your friends and to hear music and stand together and sing together and just hug each other. That’s going to be a really amazing time.”
Michelle added, “Faye is right. We miss the human touch and the human contact. I think that’s what people are suffering the most with, the thought of touring and performing and seeing people laugh and smile and dance gives me so much joy in my heart. Just the potential of it being a possibility gets me so excited!”
You can hear Steps on Hits Radio Pride.
Who are the members of Steps?
Claire Richards
Claire Richards was born on 17th August 1977. She has been a member of Steps from the start in 1997 until 2001, reuniting with the group in 2011. She is the youngest member of Steps.
As well as her career in Steps, she has released music with fellow Steps member H as a duo. 'DJ' was their debut single, which reached Number 3 in 2002. Claire has also released a solo album called, 'My Wildest Dreams' in November 2018.
In addition to her music, Claire has appeared on a number of TV shows including, Popstar to Operastar, Celebrity Big Brother and as a panelist on Loose Women.
Ian ‘H’ Watkins
Best-known simply as H, he has had huge success as part of Steps as well as also teaming up with fellow Steps member Claire between 2002 and 2003. The pair released three Top 10 singles and an album.
As well as his work with Steps, he has appeared in several musicals including the lead role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, on the UK National Tour. He's also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2007, The Chase, and most recently Dancing On Ice in 2020, when he was paired with Matt Evers, in the first ever same sex pairing.
Faye Tozer
Although best known as part of Steps, Faye Tozer is also a dancer and actress. She was born 14th November 1975. In the years between Steps original split in 2001 and their reunion 10 years later, she worked on a number of musicals including Andrew Lloyd Webber's Tell Me on a Sunday.
In 2018, Faye also took part in Strictly Come Dancing where her professional dance partner was Giovanni Pernice. They ended the series as joint runners-up.
Lee Latchford-Evans
As well as a singer and dancer as part of Steps, Lee Latchford-Evans has worked as a personal trainer and actor. Lee was born on 28th January 1975 and married Kerry-Lucy Taylor in 2012.
Lisa Scott-Lee
Lisa Scott-Lee joined Steps at the beginning with the other members. Born on 5th November 1975, Lisa is a graduate of the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts stage school. In addition to her career with Steps she released some solo songs including, 'Lately' in 2003.