Black Text = Various Fans
Blue Text = Victoria Beckham
Victoria Beckham
29 January 2002
"To have a No.1 album is a dream. A single would be great at No.1 - but I think the pressure is off now, no-one expects me to get a No.1. I think it'll be more about the music this time and less about the media hype."
We all know now that she's no innocent girl - but what's the real Victoria Beckham like? Well, Victoria dropped by after appearing on the Moyles show to give her first Radio 1 live chat. We had literally hundreds of questions come in asking her about everything. Yes everything. But how did she react to her adoring public's grilling - and who is her role model?!
Limber: I just heard you singing on Moyles' show, you were great! Were you nervous? What made you decide to sing live on national radio?
Victoria Beckham: I was really, really nervous. Singing live on radio - you're wondering if you'll reach all the notes, but it was okay. But I haven't heard it back yet! I've been doing lots of live work with the single, I have a live band now. I sang with a 100 piece live orchestra recently too.
Gregor: Is it true your next single will be the amazing track, "I Wish"? It's my favourite off your album, please please release it!
Victoria Beckham: I hope so! It's one of my favourite tracks. I'm also a big fan of Robbie Craig, who worked with Artful Dodger and Craig David, so I really hope it'll be the next single - his voice is amazing.
Sean Cassidy: Will the French version of 'A Mind Of Its Own' be available to British fans anytime - maybe as a future B-side?
Victoria Beckham: I think it will be. I'd like it to have been a b-side for this single but it wasn't ready in time. I spent a long time getting the French correct - it was really difficult. I wanted it to be convincing, so I had a French tutor over.
Monkey: How important are No. 1 albums and singles to you now?
Victoria Beckham: I think to have a No.1 album is a dream. A single would be great at No.1 - but I think the pressure is off now, no-one expects me to get a No.1 I think it'll be more about the music this time and less about the media hype. So I feel that whatever it goes in at in the chart, I'm a step up the ladder. People want me to prove myself as a solo artist. I think it's not about the music anymore - I think a lot of artists would agree. But making a great record isn't always enough - it's the perception. There are some fantastic artists who don't even get in the top 10, but I'm going to keep going.
Simona Haines: Do you like solo better to being in a band?
Victoria Beckham: I like doing it on my own - it was great being in the Spice Girls, we achieved so much. But being on my own, I can do what I like when I like, take Brooklyn to work with me, and it's something different for me as well.
Chris: Does talent matter or is ambition all you need to succeed in the music industry?
Victoria Beckham: Talent definitely does count - that's the good thing about 'Popstars' on TV - it's proved that you do need to have talent and be able to sing. People say, so many pop groups mime but can't sing, but that isn't true at all. It's all about having talent and personality rolled into one. But you can't always put your finger on what separates the winners from the others.
Charmaine: Which musicians do you admire?
Victoria Beckham: I'm a huge Whitney fan, Toni Braxton, Michael Jackson. I love R'n'B, soul, Anita Baker, Janet Jackson. I think Jennifer Lopez is great.
LondonBoy: Who decides on what single you release from your album, is it your record company, yourself or both?
Victoria Beckham: It's a joint thing really. Mind of It's Own just seemed like a good follow-up single.
Sunny Spice: You're looking gorge today! Please wave to us the fans
Victoria Beckham: I've just sneezed! Hi to all my fans!
Steve Sheasby: What do you think about the recent splits of all the recent pop bands such as Steps?
Victoria Beckham: I don't know - I think bands spend so much time together. I'm sure Steps did, like the Spice Girls, and as well as being a group, you're individuals, and you want to express yourselves as solo artists. It'll be interesting to see what they do alone. I know my sister's little girl was really upset because she really likes Steps.
Julie Kettlewell: Would you ever consider working in musical theatre again as this was your first dream of fame?
Victoria Beckham: I was thinking about that the other day. Maybe. I feel that I really want to prove myself as solo artist, but in the future, possibly.
Jamie Hannigan: What does it mean to you to be looked up to as a performer and as a person?
Victoria Beckham: I think that I was quite uptight when I released my first single - I wanted to prove myself, and I got caught up in the 'will it be No.1?' thing. Now I'm a lot more relaxed - I have a new team of people around me - and you can see from the video that the whole feel of this single is more relaxed. I wanted to prove to myself that I'll always get criticised, and that's cool, but this will make me happy.
Dan Parkes: If you could make a dream band who would be in that band?
Victoria Beckham: Jennifer Lopez, Britney, myself, Dr Dre and Snoop! I'd have Jennifer because I think she's a great performer and a great dancer. And Dre & Snoop because I'm a big R'n'B fan. And our popiness and their cool, tough hip-hop edge would be quite interesting.
Claire Brown: Who is your role model?
Victoria Beckham: Right now I don't really have one - apart from my mum really, she's always been a role model. And my sister. But I always looked up to Lady Diana - she spent so much time in the public eye, but still brought up her kids, she did loads of charity work, she was glamorous, and seemed like a nice person. So I look up to her.
Princebeckham: Are you and Brooklyn into the Harry Potter craze?
Victoria Beckham: We're not - I haven't read the books. Brooklyn knows about Harry Potter, but at the moment he's into dinosaurs in a big way!
Kate: What does your brother do?
Victoria Beckham: He's the brains of the family, and he's doing a course in computers - he'll be a programmer. He's just passed his second exam. He's the only one in our house who can turn a computer on! So I'm very proud of him.
Pete: Why are you not such an innocent girl?
Victoria Beckham: Well, I've got a child! Whatever...! (giggles) I suppose that's one reason. But that wasn't the message - it was very much, don't judge a book by its cover. I think a lot of the time people judge my music by the celebrity of Victoria Beckham, rather than from the music. I think it'll take time. Perhaps it's good if people don't think I'm innocent - but I'm not an old tart!
Brett: Just wanted to know how you keep such a good sense of humour with the press?
Victoria Beckham: I don't read it. I don't see newspapers. There was a time when I was concerned about what would be in them, but I don't care now. If people are writing stuff about me that's untrue, then they must be writing things about other people that are untrue.
Claire: I love Tuesdays 'cos Heat comes out do you?
Victoria Beckham: I think Heat is very entertaining, the same as all those magazines. But don't take it all as gospel!
Sean Cassidy: Would you consider making a movie, and if so, what type of character would you play?
Victoria Beckham: I'd love to get involved in acting at some point - a small part would suit me down to the ground. I loved 'Meet the Parents' - David puts that on when I'm down or depressed! I'd like to be in something like that, or maybe a horror movie!
Steve Fraser: If you are chillin' on a Saturday night watching the box and the butler brings you a flake and a bag of skips, which would you choose to eat first?
Victoria Beckham: Butler?! More likely to be my mum - I don't have a butler. I'd go for the crisps. I don't like bacon flavour as I'm a vegetarian, but my favourite is salt & vinegar!
Monkey Kiss: Where do you get your inspiration for your songs from?
Victoria Beckham: My family really inspires me. I was in the US when I wrote the album, working with some amazing songwriters. A lot is through my own experience - a lot of them are love songs. Mind of Its Own is out in Valentine's week.
Professor Klump: If all your's and David's fame and fortune ended tomorrow what type of job would you do?
Victoria Beckham: If it all ended tomorrow, I'd like to write songs for someone else. I'd like to still be involved in music or production of some sort.
Ginger: What was the first record you ever bought and what was the most recent?
Victoria Beckham: The first record I ever brought... (thinks) I could be cool and say Bobby Brown, but I'm afraid it was Bucks Fizz, 'Making Your Mind Up'! I loved Five Star - they were fantastic! I wanted to marry Steadman! My most recent record was the Mary J Blige album. I think it's good, but it's hard to judge when you're so familiar with the old albums. It takes a while to get into it. My favourite album of all time is Michael Jackson's 'Off the Wall'.
Carley Smith: Who would you like to work with in the future?
Victoria Beckham: I'd say someone in the hip-hop world, mixed with my poppy lyrics and melodies. Just something different - perhaps someone from the classical world.
Brambles: Do you think that fame has changed you?
Victoria Beckham: I think it's probably made me more cynical. I used to think it was enough to make a great record, whereas now I think it isn't enough. It makes you look at people differently - I think I have misjudged people sometimes. It makes you realise who you should be close to, how important your family is.
Mr: Could you lend me ten pounds as I have to play pool tonight and I have four pence to my name?
Victoria Beckham: If you're skint you should be doing something sensible with your money rather than playing pool!
Jenny Miller: What was the last film you watched at the cinema and why?
Victoria Beckham: I haven't been for ages! It was probably one of those kids' films with Brooklyn. I do want to see Vanilla Sky though.
Laura: Where do u get your cars from?
Victoria Beckham: The garage!
Kristina SM: Is Brooklyn aware of your fame yet?
Victoria Beckham: I don't think so - I think he thinks everyone's mummy is a singer, and everyone's daddy is a footballer! I think it's difficult if we're on a family day out, and people push Brooklyn out of the way and ask his dad for an autograph, it's a bit rude! You don't always choose to be in a newspaper or magazine, and people think it's their right to come up to you all the time. That's okay sometimes, but not when I've just come out of a toilet cubicle!
Daniel Campbell: What is the most embarassing situation that you have ever been in?
Victoria Beckham: We were filming CD:UK - it was a pre-record, I was dressed as a good girl, and my boobs fell out! Luckily the tape was well-and-truly thrown away - or so they say!
Danielle Chapman: How long have you been a vegetarian and what made you become one?
Victoria Beckham: I eat chicken sometimes and I eat fish so I'm not a true veggie, but I haven't eaten red meat for about 16 years. It's mainly because I just don't like it, and Brooklyn doesn't eat red meat either.
Radio1_Hostess: Sadly, Victoria's got to leave us now. But before she does there's something she'd like to say...
Victoria Beckham: I'd just like to say "hi" to all my fans, thanks for logging on, and I hope you like the single! And on 12 February I'm doing a webchat on my site - www.victoriabeckham.mu - and I'll be doing a live performance with my band!
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