Lisa on learning lines for BluesFest at The O2

By Beth Allcock at The Wharf 
The 49-year-old soul singer takes the Indigo stage on the festival’s opening night alongside Mica Paris and Imelda May for the ABC of Blues and Soul​

Lisa Stansfield says she’s always been a soul girl.So taking her place as one third of the opening act for Prudential BluesFest , at The O2 , is something she’s likely to relish.The bubbly singer will take the Indigo At The O2 stage alongside Mica Paris and Imelda May for The ABC of Blues and Soul on Friday, November 6.

The smooth sounds of Diana Ross inspired the singer in her childhood and Lisa’s secret set list of four songs will celebrate top female vocalists on the jazz and blues scene.
But this has meant an intense few weeks of lyric-learning.

“I haven’t sung any of the songs before, so it’s like learning lines,” said Lisa. “You constantly think: ‘I’m never going to remember any of it,’ it’s really weird. “Even the best actors are constantly peeing their pants thinking they are going to forget their lines. “You’re learning new material but material that people know. “It’s like doing a favour for a friend – you want to do your best. “If you’re doing it for yourself you’re more relaxed but when it’s for someone else, everything hinges on the one thing.”

Lisa, famous for the vocal track on 1980s dance hit Around The World, released album Seven last year.
With it came an accompanying tour and while homesickness blighted her memory of travelling across the country for various gigs as a budding performer she said she’d now overcome that.

She said a younger audience was also being drawn to her soul vibe and she was excited by the prospect of an eclectic crowd at The O2 ’s smaller venue.

“The hardcore jazz and blues people are taken as read but there’s a new generation of people that are intrigued about it,” she said. “It’s really refreshing to bring different types of people together. “So hopefully there will be a young crowd getting into that stuff and it’s lovely to be able to interest people in stuff you don’t want to get lost.
“It’s nice to do stuff like this now and again and it’s nice we are all characters, so we will have a really good time.” The three-day BluesFest is the largest event of its kind in the UK.
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Headliners on Saturday, November 7 include the Dave Matthews Band while Sir Tom Jones and Van Morrison will perform a joint gig on Sunday, November 8.
There are also a number of free concerts throughout the festival.
Tickets various prices.