You want a candy? This pop treat might have just what you’re looking for Reintroducing Mini Viva; the stylish girl duo who crash-landed last year with their debut single I Left My Heart In Tokyo return with an edgier and sexier look.
Throw two hot singers into the mix with some of the UK’s biggest songwriters, add a major record deal and what have you got? Mini Viva – two girls who left their heart in Tokyo last summer, entering the charts in the top ten and staying for four weeks straight. The duo have now returned with a sexy new look as they prepare for the release of their new pop/dance winner, One Touch.
‘As you can see from the video we’re more edgy and grown-up,’ says 20-year-old Frankee Connolly. ‘We want to appeal to the kids but also to people our age.’ Britt Love, 21, agrees. ‘We’re a group but at the same time we’re individuals. We’ve got our own personalities and we want them to come through as well.’
Having toured with The Saturdays and Clubland artists, the girls are now addicted to the stage and are currently on their third road trip since releasing their debut single on Geffen/Universal Records last year. While on their new 28-date tour, Manchester girl Frankee and Newcastle-born Britt have found a very effective way of keeping themselves entertained.
‘We always play pranks on our tour manager,’ giggles Britt. ‘Last time we stopped off at the services we left Johnny in the car, came back, crept up on him and splatted his whole car with beans!’ Food fights aside, the girls have their heads totally screwed on and aren’t under any misconceptions about the music business. ‘It is hard work, says Britt. ‘After a show we might have a live PA,’ then go on to do a DJ set somewhere else, so we’re constantly working.’
‘I really miss home because I’m close with my family,’ says Frankee, ‘but travelling is a big part of the job. Sometimes you might want to relax at home but you can do that any time in your life and your career comes first.’ And surely where there is hard work, there is success. The new single One Touch, co-written by Xenomania (Kylie Minogue, Girls Aloud, Sugarbabes) is a fierce mash-up of dance-pop nrgy that’ll have you thinking twice about comparisons with any girl groups. Music website Pop Justice was first to première the new video, describing it as “So amazing it will make your head explode!”
If that’s true then I can only imagine how you’d look after listening to their upcoming album. Due for release this summer, the girls are keeping quiet about what’s on the way. ‘But we can’t wait to get it out there and show people what we’ve been working on for so long,’ says Britt. Find @Miniviva on Twitter and you may pick up clues about the album. If, however, you want to ask them direct, then clear your schedule on Friday evenings when they hold live web chats on Ustream.com. ‘We do Viva Mini Viva every Friday,’ says Frankee. ‘We get to talk to our fans through Facebook and Twitter. They send us questions and sometimes they’ll send in videos of themselves covering our songs and we love that.’ Album titles aren’t the only thing the girls are keeping secret. ‘I’m spoken for!’ yells Frankee when we start talking boys and boyfriends.
‘And I don’t want to expose if I’m in a personal relationship,’ says Britt in a well-rehearsed manner. Time to put the friendship of these northern lasses to the test by giving them each a chance to play Cupid. ‘If I put Fran on a date with someone…’ Britt pauses. ‘They would probably be mixed-race and well-built…’ I hope you lads are taking notes! ‘For Britt it would have to be someone funny, with good style but a little bit of a bad boy!’ says Frankee…
Mini Viva will soon be enjoying some time in the States having signed to Interscope Records, but Frankee and Britt will be performing alongside the likes of Jay-Z and Paul McCartney at this year’s Isle of Wight festival. Got your ticket?
One Touch is out May 3
Interview by Lawrence Gichigi
