Think only the Americans can make R'n'B-pop records that matter? Think you know what makes a successful Irish export? Think that any under 21 who wants to make music never speaks her mind and always thanks her mom?
Think again and meet Samantha Mumba a 21st century teen who thinks Kylie was always a cool pop star and thinks that mobile phones are indispensable. A teen who loves her mum but names Puff Daddy as eye candy. A teen that sends a 30-something stylist home so that she can buy her own clothes
When I say I'm black and from Ireland it sounds kinda like, uh-oh... but it means I'm something totally different to the usual blonde-haired, blue-eyed American female artists. I want to show a bit more attitude and I have an opinion
Between the ages of 3 and 15, I was a schoolgirl at Dublin's famous Billie Barry Stage school. It's funny because I grew up with Brian from Westlife - he was at stage school with me and we'd probably have been the least expected to make it. He was a joker, I was a dosser - always having a laugh, not taking it seriously. Things really kicked off for me, however, when I landed a lead role in a 1998 production of 'The Hot Mikado', a jazzy, modern take on Gilbert and Sullivan's celebrated opera. From there I was invited to sing on various TV shows, although when asked to mime I'd still end up belting the song out anyway!
One night I blagged my way into a Dublin night club posing as an R&B singer from New York recording an album. A friend introduced me to Louis Walsh, manager of Boyzone and Westlife, who was so impressed by my potential, he signed me up as a complement to his existing roster of triple-A acts - it really does pay to be a bit cheeky sometimes!
Everything's happening so quickly for me and I sometimes I think to myself, 'I don't have a clue what's going on!'. But even though I can really hit the high notes, I keep my feet well and truly on the ground!
