RS: Awesome. You toured Australia with the Australian Pop Idol guy – Anthony Callea. As the pop superstar you are, what advice do you have to all these TV Pop Idol people?
Tina Cousins: I don't know, I think just to be careful. The first thing you should get is a really good solicitor - a really good lawyer, someone who's going to look after you. I think even moreso than a manager because once you've signed on that dotted line - that's it, you've signed your life away. As much as I think these programs are a chance, they're another in into the industry, I think they make it very difficult for any normal person and any musician to get in because you cannot compete with someone that's on three times a week and is having that amount of money and that amount of exposure spent on them. So I think sometimes it swamps the market a little bit.
I know in Britain at the moment, you get bored with music sometimes and you need someone a bit inspirational to do something. When Scissor Sisters came along here, that was like a bit of a breath of fresh air. Actually, I think that's why probably I chose to do Wonderful Life as a cover. Because the 80s were brilliant, I love the 80s sound and the 80s music, and I think that's had a tremendous comeback recently.
RS: Reading over the message board of your website, your fans love seeing you perform live, what's your favorite song to perform live?
Tina Cousins: Oh, that's a tough one. If I had to pick between albums, Killing Time will always be a favorite of mine. It was the first track I've ever recorded with PWL and I remember listening in a studio afterwards thinking oh my God, is that really me. I've sung Killing Time a million times and I never get sick of it, and that is a great test of the song. With this album, I don't know, Mastermind is probably one of my favorites. It's a little bit different to the stuff I've done before and you can really let rip at the end. I love the bit where people aren't quite sure what I'm going to do and then I screech my head off and they all clap. It's brilliant.
RS: So any plans for this album to come out here in the US?
Tina Cousins: Yes, I can't believe it, the videos apparently are being played across the board in America and Canada at the moment, so I'm hoping in the New Year to come and do a gig tour. The experiences I had there before, you have no idea. I thought as a British artist, there is no way anyone's going to know anything about me when I get there. When I came there the first time, I did a really huge gay venue in San Francisco. About ten thousand guys, all absolutely gorgeous - what a cruel world. I couldn't believe it, they knew every word for every song and you have no idea what that feels like. It was brilliant, so I'm hoping with fingers crossed, that we can do another tour like that and do all the clubs. At the end of the day, dance is where I started, so the best bit in the world is when you stand out there on stage and you go make some noise, and they go crazy screaming - that's brilliant!
RS: Is there anything you want to say to all your fans out there?
Tina Cousins: Oh God, thanks! You've made a woman unbelievably happy. I've been doing this for like ten years now, so I just want it to carry on really. The good thing is with me, this is where I count myself lucky, I've never been so big that you blow in/blow out, I've always coasted along. I just love what I do and I have the time of my life. I don't do it because I want to be famous, I do it because I enjoy every single minute of it. The best is the club bit where you stand there on stage and you perform live, that's why I do it.
