Saturdays' Night Fever

A GREAT philosopher once said: “Girls just wanna have fun.”

And, as living proof of that maxim, come the most exciting thing to hit pop music for years – The Saturdays. Sassy, talented and armed with the voices of angels, this pop phenomenon have thrown themselves onto the nation’s consciousness like a five-girl whirlwind.

Cutting a swathe through a tired pop world, these intelligent young women come as a welcome blast of fresh air. Perfect pop with no edge, they bring something that had been seriously lacking from the charts – style, glamour and shameless enjoyment.

They don’t take themselves too seriously or waste time telling us how ‘important’ their music is. They don’t trot out the usual clichés about self-doubt or their inner quest for artistic integrity.

Oh no; as Prof Cyndi Lauper would appreciate, they are having way too much of a good time for that.

“Why are people ashamed of pop?” asks singer Mollie King.

“Everyone’s taking themselves so seriously at the moment. We’re a proper, full-on girl band and we’re loving it.”

Mollie, singer Vanessa White, singer-songwriter Una Healy, and former S-Club Juniors Frankie Sandford and Rochelle Wiseman got together last year releasing debut Chasing Lights – which produced top 10 singles with If This Is Love, Up, Issues, and their Comic Relief Number Two – charting Depeche Mode cover Just Can’t Get Enough.

With their new found profile, the album was re-released in March, and saw the group being hailed as the new Girls Aloud.

“It’s every girls’ dream,” adds fast-talking Mollie, talking to The Guide from the back of a car, while being driven through London’s Knightsbridge on the way to a gig – to be attended by a certain Gordon Brown, Prime Minister.

“It’s all so exciting. I just can’t believe how quickly it’s all happening,” she says.

“And even though we’ve been doing this for more than a year, I still have to pinch myself.”

Mollie, who hails from Richmond, South London, turned down a place at university to pursue her dreams, and had her first break as part of girl band Fallen Angelz, which made it through to the boot camp stages of ITV’s The X-Factor.

“That was so much fun,” she says, gushing with excitement. “It was quite scary standing in front of that nerve-racking panel, though. When that finished I thought that was probably the end of my music career.

“But then, a week later, I was called and this opportunity came up. As soon as one door closed, another one opened!”

And, if she is to be believed, the girls are the best of friends.

“This industry is full of fakes and back-stabbers, but we all want the same thing,” she says.

“There’s no rivalry between us. Which is just as well as we spend so much time together.”

Though she admits they all have their own traits, and are resolutely different.

“I’m quite excitable,” she giggles. “I’m also really hard-working and want this band to do well. And I hate people with no manners; that really annoys me. My parents were really strict with ‘please and thank you’, so when people forget to be polite, I hate it.

“I suppose I’m quite old-fashioned. I also like vintage clothes – though now I have to wear what I’m told to wear. Although we do get a say, and our own style comes out.”

“We’re not models who can’t sing – we can all sing, we can all dance,” adds Frankie, from Essex.

“No one’s telling us who to be or what to do. We’re all different because we’re just ourselves, and that’s the way it should be.”

The comparisons with Girls Aloud are obvious. But while there are similarities between the two five-pieces, Mollie and the girls are unwilling to enter the debate, guarding their words carefully.

And it’s not just record label spin. It’s clear they have a lot of respect for Cheryl, Nadine and co, who have now been doing their thing since 2002.

“I love Girls Aloud,” she shrieks. “They are all lovely, and what you see is what you get.

“Because they have been around for a while, people think they are older than they are – but they are still so young. They’re so good at what they do, and they are always going to have a fan base. We are very much the new kids on the block.”

So, why are they called The Saturdays?

“Because it’s everyone’s favourite day of the week,” explains Rochelle, a former CBBC presenter. “And it’s always the best night out.”

“We play proper feelgood pop, with good lyrics which lots of people can relate to,” Mollie chimes in. “And our upbeat songs are the kind of thing people want to listen to in a club or on a roadtrip.”

And roadtrips is something the girls know about, with a hectic series of gigs and appearances.

Now they are about to embark on their first headline tour, which next Friday hits Oxford’s New Theatre.

“We can’t wait to get out and sing in front of loads of people, it’s going to be brilliant,” says excited Londoner Vanessa, a talented performer who appeared in the West End production of The Lion King.

“We’ve been working hard for a long time now,” says Una, who hails from Tipperary, Ireland, “And we want to show everyone what we’re all about and what we can do!”

“We are never at home,” sighs Mollie. “But this is all I ever wanted to do – and I still can’t believe it’s happening!”

THE LAYDEEZ: * Frankie Perfectionist Frankie ‘says it how it is’ and describes herself as a “take you or leave you” kind of girl.

LOVES: going to gigs. She also loves men, preferring “scruffy musician” types at festivals. She currently has an obsession with chocolate croissants.

HATES: People who make noise while they’re eating. “I always have to say something”, she says.

* Una Una describes herself as a “sensitive, feisty” type and comes across as the sensible member of the group. Yet, every now and again, she surprises bandmates with her wicked sense of humour.

She’s laid back, classy, and a bit of a “homebody”.

LOVES: relaxing, drinking tea and watching films, playing the guitar, and working out any stress down the gym.

HATES: negative people and those who “feel the need to diss others”.

* Mollie Loud and girlie, Mollie has one of the loudest laughs you’ll ever hear and gets excited about everything.

LOVES: Fashion, and rummaging around for vintage clothes. She likes men with long hair and surfers.

HATES: rude and unmotivated people.

* Vanessa Cute yet with a feisty side, Vanessa is very clear about what she does and doesn’t like. She laughs at anything and everything, and despite coming across as a bit shy at first, she can often be found getting into trouble with her partner-in-crime, Frankie.

LOVES: bright clothes.

HATES: Rude, arrogant and bitchy people.

* Rochelle Bubbly, loud, funny, she keeps the band in check and makes sure everyone is where they need to be, when they need to be there.

Opinionated and honest, she describes her mum as her best friend.

LOVES: Shopping (“I don’t like saving for a rainy day. If it’s raining, I’ll go shopping anyway!”). She admires people with ambition, and likes tall, dark, handsome men who are successful at whatever they do.

HATES: People breathing on her and bad smells (especially people with BO on the tube).