It is not often that a UK female artist hails the title for the first UK black female to have consecutive hits in the Guinness Book of Records; needless to say, Birmingham songstress Jaki Graham is one of UK's finest.

A legend in her own right Jaki has embarked on a singing career that has surpassed decades of infallible music. Her unique take on soul and pop music achieved global notoriety creating classic hits, 'Round and Round' and 'Heaven Knows'.

Juggling her career as well as her family, Jaki clearly proves that through diligence and passion any goal is obtainable. Reminiscin' caught up with Jaki to find out how life is really like on the fast lane.

Being born and raised in the Midlands where did your musical inspiration come from?
It is an eclectic one truthfully. It is soul based. I was raised up by my grandmother so there was a lot of reggae and ska in the house. My two uncles lived at home as well. My younger uncle was in to the soul kind of things and my older uncle was in to jazz. At that time I was growing up there Motown was kicking in, you also had your pop stuff. It was all those kind of things, plus I like classical and rock -I liked the classics. My main thing was the soul side of stuff. I did have around me quite a lot of soul and also the reggae.

How did you get into the music industry?
Me and Tony (Jaki's Manager) went to school - we have been together for a long, long time. When I left school there was an ad in our local paper wanting a soul singer, I went to the audition and I got through. The first band I joined was called 'One Night Affair' and we were basically a cover band. There was also the jazz/ funk band that I joined. I was working as a secretary during the day and doing gigs in the evening. I did a vocal section for an instrumental jazz/funk band, but they needed some vocals with it and they contacted me. They ended up taking that recording down to London and approached some people down there. They loved the instrumental and jazz stuff but because they wanted to see the front person. So I went down to London with them and we did a couple of showcase gigs at Ronnie Scotts. It came apparent that although they still wanted to work with the band, they wanted to take me on as a solo artist. Tony made sure I didn't turn it down, I went down there and we started to do some demos, basically did a few songs and gave it to record companies and that's how I got signed to EMI.

When did you realise you wanted to become a professional singer?
I suppose when I had Natalie - I was semi pro. It was about '83 and I didn't want to be one of those stay-in -home mums, I mean if you can afford too that is good, but you have to earn money. I wanted to be with my child all the time and what better than taking her with me - she is learning as well and we are having fun.

You were a working mother pursuing a music career - did it ever get too much handle?
Yeah, but we did it as a family. We took my first born Natalie around with us everywhere-she came to gigs. But when she started school it was a case of keeping her in school, but I wanted her to be around to see different countries. I don't regret that she may have missed out on school sometimes but she made up for it in other ways. She would have her homework, so we could take our mind off the fact that we were travelling. It was an education in some ways to go to a territory to learn about somebody's culture.

With your children being embedded with music at such an early age - is there a new Jaki Graham set to rise?
Well my daughter Natalie is a recording artist in her own right. She has a single coming out too.

So there may be a duet…
Oh Girl, my baby has seen the up's and down's of the industry. As she got older she was around it all-if that is the way she wants to go, then that is cool. We are here to guide her and so on.

Having experienced the highs and lows of the industry what would be your advice to her and other budding musicians?
Basically you have to be careful. Everybody is your friend when you are the best thing since slice bread. When your not so hot then it is like, where is your friends gone? I learnt very quickly that it wasn't friends I was making, I was making acquaintances. Be careful who your friends are and stick to who you know. You have to stay grounded.

You first broke into the charts with a duet hit with David Grant on "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" in 1985 which reached number 5-Did that take you by surprise?
Ooooooh, that really did, I was like oooooh we are gonna be doing Top of the Pops and lots of other shows. You know all the years you have been watching these shows, I was thinking I have actually got here. All those days when you are looking in a mirror with your hairbrush singing like your live or doing your Jackson 5 moves, and then all of a sudden you are there-you are amongst the elite in the industry. I met so many mega people. It is only now when I look back to the eighties and I think, wow I was apart of that?

You have had massive hits in the eighties - 'Set Me Free', 'Step Right Up', 'Round And Around', 'Breaking Away', and 'Mated'- what was it about these songs that made it such a success even today?
I think we hit upon a formula as well as the writers. Some of it was soul and some of it was more poppy soul. I think we were on the forefront of it all. I was the first British black female, I was in the Guinness Book of Records to have consecutive hits - nobody has topped that yet. It is only when you hear things like that you think, Oh, I was one of the first wasn't I? Those songs still stand the test of time.

Do you have any musical regrets? Is there something you wished you had done differently-album? Single?
By the grace of god I was given a gift. I had the right people round me. Tony started me up from an ad in the paper and I went with the flow. I can't really look back and say I had any real regrets. At gigs people always wanna hear the music and fortunately for me I am not tired of it or bored of those hits I had.

Most UK artist, nowadays focus on breaking the US and Europe first - how does it feel that you have accomplished both?
The thing is though when I came up with my first hits and so, everyone was like 'Ooooooh this girl is an overnight success, where does she come from?' They all thought I was from America, but I would say, 'No darling, I come from Birmingham, England not Birmingham, Alabama' (laughs). To be fair, I just loved singing. I would get back from work go to gigs, finish at 4am in the morning and have to be up for 8am for work. I just went with the flow. I was married and had a child so I would do my gigs and get paid for it-even if it was a fiver a gig (laughs).

Surely, that has increased now...
Yeah, it's £5.50 now (laughs).

Was it difficult as a UK artist to gain recognition abroad?
You know something by the grace of god I have been to Europe, Scandinavia, Japan, Thailand, Australia and America a little bit. People would quote me songs from my first album and second album. That is when it hit me that I was seriously international and I wasn't aware of it. I didn't know they knew 'Round and Round', Breaking Away' and 'Heaven knows' - I am thinking what, oh my goodness!

You have a worldwide fan base - what has been the best reception you've received?
I went to Australia 'cos I have in-laws out there. I said to Tony let's go check it out and once again it hit me that I was really known in Australia. I was doing daytime TV, night time TV travelling up and down the country between Sydney and Melbourne. It was overwhelming, but they just took to me. All the territories I have been to they have received me warmly. Japan was just fantastic selling out your concerts within 20 minutes is something else and I don't know the language, it nice to see how people react to you.

Live performances have always been the core of your work - what is it about gigs that appeal to you? Why is it important to you?
I just get out on stage and everybody is just so warming towards me. You can only give what you get and I just want to give back so much more, it is so much fun.

What has been your most memorable gig?
My own tour in Japan that was something else. The more time I spent in Japan the more I did well, they received me fondly.

You have had a long - established music career - how has your music developed over the years?
I am still learning and growing. I want to be an all rounder. I like to touch on everything. Just being around different types of music, you still want to stay current. I love my old skool still, but there is so much good stuff out there right now. The thing is, kids are now calling back on to the old classics and revamping that, which has made it so modern now.

You are often referred to a Pop diva and a Soul diva - which title has more weight to you?
I ain't got a clue (laughs). I know I touched upon the soul side of things but you know, when I sing pop music I am singing popular music-so I don't really know! I have my soul base fans and yet you have your all rounder fans. But both titles are very positive - I do feel both.

The eighties was predominatly your era and was the crux for soul music - what was the music and club scene like at that time?
We all admired the black Americans songs even to this day; old skool sounds were just really, really happening. You also had the poppy side of things in the charts, at the time there was Duran Duran and UB40 - I just like all kinds of good music.

You have recently been involved in Disco Diva-what is it all about and how did the concept come about?
A friend of ours came up with the concept. We turn the theatres into a nightclub, sing all of the great disco classics from the '70's right through to now and my music is apart of that too. It is just a feel good, fun, get up and get down factor with myself, Julie and Jayne. The guy hosting is DJ Daddy Cool, spinning the tunes and he has a big, big, big afro. It is non-stop music for two hours.

Are you currently working on any new material?
As it will be my 20th Anniversary, I will have a 20th Anniversary album coming out. This will incorporate my old stuff revamped, plus some favourites of mine, from Aretha Franklin to StevieWonder-so that is my collection album. I also have a trilogy album with music that I have recorded in Japan.

When is your new album released?
I am planning that to come out in December the first single will be Stevie Wonder's , 'Superstition', I did my first audition to join the band, that was the song I did. The track is also associated with a board game that is ready to be launched soon. It is to do with the TV programme 'Charmed' - so I think the track will be chosen to represent the board game for adverts, etc.

What are your plans for the future?
I am opening a club in Wolverhampton called 'Jaki' it will start in June 2006.
So basically you come have a three-course meal and I will do a show. It is kinda laid-back, but come the end of the night if you wanna get up and dance - I will be adding that in as well. I will be doing a lot of things that I have admired doing; it ranges from George Benson, Nat-King Cole to contemporary stuff that is around now. It just easy listening as well as eating your food. So that is something else to look forward to; another learning curve.

Related Links:
> www.jakigraham.com
> Jaki Graham CD - Amazon.co.uk