Melanie Lowe interview on Gayspeak

You have a rather glamorous image; is that the real you?

Hehe, I am what I am! I love being a woman and I take full advantage! I have been through many phases but everything was always as understated as possible to avoid detection (I have always been a rather shy, introverted girl) But then I met my best friend, Steve. Steve loves to dress women;) He has the most fabulous taste and a great eye. He introduced me to ME basically and I discovered a latent passion for handbags, shoes and slinky, sexy dresses. No matter what phase I was going through though, I always had a taste that seemed to go against everyone else's and whether I liked it or not, I stood out. And that wasn't always in a good way! I find that I am ALWAYS overdressed for an occasion and it doesn't bother me at all. I dress in a way that I feel most like me and if that happens to look glam then so be it;) I am very into simple cuts though. I don't really like frills and fancies. It's more about what suits me and I know my limits. If I'm comfortable then it's working and if I'm not then it's not working and it must go! You will NEVER find me at any evening function, wearing jeans and sneakers! And I am absolutely not a T-shirt girl. I am a woman and I don't see the point of dressing any other way. I am very fortunate to be dressed by Durban-based designer, Terrence Bray who knows my tastes so well. I hardly even have to tell him what the function is and he's already designed the outfit in his head. The man's a genius;)


Who are your favourite divas?

I wouldn't call her a diva but I love Charlize Theron's style. She oozes class out of every pore. She's not afraid to be daring but it always suits her because she is obviously a woman who knows her limits. From her hair right down to her beautiful shoes, she is style and grace personified.


Do you aspire to be one?

Not at all;) I can be outspoken if I feel strongly about something but I will never make unnecessary demands. I don't really know how to be demanding! I think one of my downfalls is that I am too soft in a rather unforgiving industry but I don't think there's anything particularly special about me that gives me the right to deserve something more than others. I don't find anything appealing about divas. What appeals to me is class and there is a way to get things done without having to throw your toys, in my humble opinion.


What’s the best thing about having a gay male friend?

Do I have to pick one?! There is never a dull moment. He is the funniest person I know! I have a gorgeous, stylish date for every function and he'll help me pick out the perfect outfit for every occasion. He is a BEAUTIFUL dancer! He is the perfect gentleman. He will hold doors open for me and always let me go first, he'll hold my handbag anytime, anyplace without any embarrassment. He has no problem with buying me underwear and always knows my size;) His partner will never be threatened by me! There is no sense that he is trying to compete with me. That is something I have noticed about women. They are very sensitive and can feel threatened even by their closest friends. He is a sensitive soul but he is also practical and instead of letting me wallow, he fixes it. When he sets foot in my house it immediately perks up! He just has an eye for decor and he makes it look perfect within seconds. He pays attention to everything I say and years down the line will remember what I said and buy me something I spoke about when I was 16 years old. I can sit and watch The Notebook over and over again with him and he'll unashamedly cry with me, every time but if anyone threatens me, he will happily stand in between me and them and protect me. I could go on but in short, he is my hero and there is no greater best friend for a girl to have.


You said in another interview, that gay men comment on your shoes - what do they say? What do they like about them?

I'm not sure why but it's a rare thing for me to leave a show without a gale man coming up to me and whispering conspiratorially "your shoes are BEAUTIFUL" ;) I love it because I love shoes and I have very specific tastes when it comes to the shoes I wear. They have to be classy and glamorous. I know I am generalising but I base a lot of my impressions of gay men, on my best friend, Steve and gay men have the most beautiful taste in shoes! So I consider it a huge compliment that gay men love my shoes;) In fact, when I go shoe shopping, Steve gets an MMS of all my favourites so I can get his opinion before I seal the deal! That's how much I value his opinion. My favourite pair is a pair he picked out for me and everyone asks me if they're from Italy but they're from Truworths sweetie;) They're bright red, my favourite colour and they make me feel like the sexiest woman on earth! I only recently bought flat, slip-on sandals for summer. Up until a few days ago the only shoes in my cupboard were stilettos and one pair of gym sneakers which are over 3 years old. You can see where my priorities lie! Beauty is pain darling;)


Have you ever been to a drag show and if you have, what were your impressions?

I haven't specifically been to a drag show but I have been in clubs where there were many drag queens, some so beautiful I had to be told that they were men! One has to admire the kind of work that goes into an outfit like that! One of my favourite movies of all time is Priscilla, Queen of the desert. One of the funniest but also, one of the most thought-provoking movies I've ever seen. It brought a previously taboo topic, to the forefront of people's minds. I think the average Jo just didn't even bother to invest enough time and thought into what a drag queen goes through emotionally. The pressure to conform and the need to be themselves and what they go through while dealing with it, is really traumatic. But the way it was presented, so matter-of-fact and so hilarious, made it accessible to everyone which I thought was fabulous.


Would you consider singing a duet with a drag queen?

I've been asked this question in another interview but it was "would I sing a duet with a lesbian" and the answer remains the same. When I decide to sing a duet with anyone I look only at their voice, their music and their integrity as a person and as an artist. The rest is completely unimportant to me. I have very strong ideas about what makes an artist worthy of being in the limelight and their sexuality and dress sense doesn't feature anywhere in my list of prerequisites;)


Do you have any plans to release more Afrikaans songs?

I'm not sure. I write what I feel inspired to write and, if I get the inspiration to write one again, I will. But I can't force a song out and I don't want to try. I'm a big believer in listening to my inner voice and I've always felt that, while I am following the path I am meant to, things will always work out. It's when I try to pressure the universe, that things start to go wrong. I know that I will end up doing what I am meant to do. That's the only way I've achieved what I have.


Most South African artists understandably seem to want to succeed in other countries too; are you going anywhere and if you are, will you promise not to forget us?

I am not going anywhere;) I love this country. That's not to say that I won't try and promote my music elsewhere. That's a given. I love to travel and experience new things, but I am also a homebody and I will always come home. I have fans all over the world and living in South Africa doesn't mean I don't give them any attention;) I don't forget someone who's changed my life and I keep in touch with all of them via email or Facebook, no matter how busy I am. I think it's important to have a personal connection with the people are helping you to realise your dream.


What kind of impact did it have on your life when you started to manage yourself professionally?

I learnt very quickly, to toughen up! It is very hard negotiating for yourself. I am, by nature, a quiet person and I certainly don't like to blather on about my talents! One of my pet hates is arrogance. But I have had to learn to place a value on what I do and accept that, although I love doing what I do, I also deserve to make a living doing it and I shouldn't under-sell myself. Apart from that there is a lot more running around to do and there is always something to do, apart from the actual singing. I do find the songwriting has gotten the worst end of the deal and I aim to hire someone to help out soon, so I can start focusing on writing again.


You are fast becoming the queen of green on Facebook – and no, I’m not talking about anything illegal – tell us about the Green Celebrities project – are other celebrities coming on board?

Haha, queen of green! I think you may have just started something there:) If I am passionate about something, it's hard to hold me back and this is something I feel strongly about. I've been recycling for a few years and have been trying to convert all my friends and family but didn't feel I should enforce it because it was my passion, not theirs. But then I had a conversation with a friend who is a scientist who works very closely with the government. We were talking about global warming and I asked her how bad the situation actually was and she basically told me it was better just to not have children! She said we had 5 years at the most, to turn it around. That scared me enough to make the decision that it was time to make my passion everybody else's problem;) So I started with the facebook group, Green Celebrities. And the reason I chose that name is that, I feel that celebs should be responsible. We ARE role models, whether we like it or not. What we do makes a direct impact on the people watching us. I am very aware that a lot of the people who listen to and support my music, also watch my every move and comment on it at any given time, whether it's positive or negative!! It makes sense then, that if I am setting a good example, people will not only take note, but learn from it. I think anyone in the public eye, who doesn't try and make a positive difference is being more than remiss. My hope is that the more celebrites who live "green" the more people will feel compelled to do the same thing. Bona and Angelina Jolie are good examples of celebs trying to make a difference and it gets people's attention! I haven't gotten them to join yet but I am working on it! Meanwhile I have quite a few celebrities onboard and have managed to organise quite a few radio interviews to promote the group so it is growing rapidly.

It's a powerful position to be in, where you can change lives and one that should never be abused or taken for granted. Society these days is all about "me, me, me" and that is even more evident when something goes wrong! Everybody says "what about me?" There are more important things going on and it's not all about "you" anymore. It's going to take a joint effort to fix things. People only seem to acknowledge a person's importance by how many magazines and tv shows they appear in! So I'm taking advantage of that by getting celebrities to start making a change. The thing is that everyone has a role model and they don't have to be on TV to make a difference to someone's life. We undervalue our own importance all the time. There are unsung heroes in everyone's lives, and what they do will impact directly on those who aspire to be like them.

So to cut a long enough story short, I am living green and I am encouraging not only my fellow celebrities to do the same but for everyone to join the initiative. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Details of how to join Green Celebrites:

On facebook (just search for the group Green Celebrities
On my Ning social network: www.greencelebrities.ning.com
Or they can email: greencelebrities@melanielowe.co.za with a request to be added to the group and they will receive updates that way. I know some people are blocked at work with social networks so I made this option available too.


Myspace or Facebook; which is more active?

For me, it's Facebook. It just worked out that way. I have a myspace page and it's a great way to get your music heard worldwide although I also have a fanpage on Facebook which has all my songs and music videos as well. I take advantage of every social network out there though because there are so many and the more people I can reach the better. I like that you can choose who your friends are on Facebook, before they get to see your profile, so I can be selective;) Bad experiences with a few crazies has made me wary! The internet is a great tool for networking and advertising and I take full advantage of all options!


Tell us a secret …

The thing about secrets is that...once you tell them, they somehow lose their appeal as a secret! I could tell many, and there's no question it would cause quite a stir! But there is a time and a place for everything. In my opinion there is no greater appeal than mystery and I love nothing more than to keep everybody guessing. But you never know what the future will reveal if you pay close enough attention... ;)

Interview by Ulla Kelly