Joanne - Feb 2001

Remember the name JOANNE, because you will be hearing it a lot in the coming months. Back with a fresh tune "Busted", Joanne has been on a non-stop roller coaster ride since her debut hit "Jackie" in 1999. Since then, she has had other follow-up hits with "Pack Your Bags", "Are You Ready" and "There's No Stopping Us". Here to do it all again ten-fold, GIRL spoke with Joanne where she discussed her latest single, a forthcoming album and her hopes for the future.


Full Name: JOANNE RUTH CHARLOTTE ACCOM
Nickname(s): Jo-jo, peaches & Mary
Star Sign: Scorpio

Fave Food: Teriyaki Chicken
Fave Film: Cast Away
Fave Artist: Destiny's Child
Describe yourself in 3 words: Focused, trustworthy and energetic
Best Feature: Hands
Worst Feature: Feet
Height: 5'4"
Your Ideal Man: My boyfriend
Hobbies/Interests: Shopping, watching TV & going to the movies
First Job: Working at my uncle's company.
A talent you wish you had: To be an athlete or an astronaut
The best advice given to you: To treat others the way I'd want to be treated.
What cartoon character best describes you? The Power Puff Girls!

GIRL: Congratulations on your latest single "Busted". Are you happy with the response to your new single so far?

Joanne: Yeah it's been a really good response so far considering it's been over a year since my last single. Everyone has been very supportive and the feedback from the new direction I've taken has been really good.

GIRL: Tell us a bit more about the message behind the song.

Joanne: The song itself I wrote about eight months ago. I wrote the storyline of a guy who cheats on his girlfriend and instead of making it an angry song, a man-hating song as some people might call it, I wanted it to take a more humorous look of having been cheated on.

GIRL: Is "Busted" based on a real life experience, because some of the lyrics are filled with attitude?

Joanne: Some of it was based on personal experience, some of it on things that have happened to my friends and some was just fiction.

GIRL: Do you hope it will become the next girl anthem?

Joanne: That would be nice (laughs). I definitely think it is a song that males and females could both relate to. I actually first performed the song at the Destiny's Child concert and you should have heard the girls scream! So I guess you could call it a girl anthem.

GIRL: Now the line "Liar Liar, Pants on Fire" is a commonly used phrase. Whose idea was it to incorporate this phrase into the song?

Joanne: I have always wanted to write a song with the words "Liar Liar, Pants on Fire" in it - I don't know why, everyone thought I was crazy! (laughs) But I definitely wanted to do it.

GIRL: The new single has a distinct disco influence to it. Do you like experimenting with a lot of different sounds?

Joanne: Definitely, one thing I really wanted to do with the new direction was incorporate more of my own style and influences in there, which are very much R&B and the disco influences. The vocals are very characteristic of R&B whereas the production is quite disco. Also it is a bit more of a poppy sound to my earlier music that was very dance orientated. Good at the time but I am ready to move into more of a pop direction.

GIRL: What will the rest of the album sound like?

Joanne: It's basically a fusion of all that I have mentioned. It will include the tracks "Jackie", "Pack Your Bags" and "Are You Ready", "There's No Stopping Us" and the new songs. It's basically pop with dance, R&B and disco influences.

GIRL: As yet, you haven't released your debut album "Do Not Disturb", when do you expect to release it?

Joanne: I would like to release it right now! (laughs) But I think it will be released in April sometime.

GIRL: Now recently you became signed to Universal Music, how did all this come about?

Joanne: My manager decided that with the new phase in my career, we thought that we needed to move over to a major record company. So we presented a package of music to Universal, who were happy with what they heard. So I am really happy with the new venture and it's something that I am ready to move forward with. I know that I am working really hard and I know that they're working really hard with me. And they've got the power and the strength to really help things along and help me.

GIRL: What have you been up to since we last spoke to you back in August?

Joanne: The last few months I have spent in the studio recording and writing. It has been a really crucial time for the album as far as songwriting goes.

GIRL: Although you've finished recording the album, are you still constantly writing?

Joanne: I do, I think it's really important that I keep writing because I know that I do find it difficult when I'm not in the mood to write, I have to really be in the mood. And in the last six months I have been on a roll so I don't think I'll stop just yet.

GIRL: Now you also have your own website - what can fans expect to find there?

Joanne: The website basically has personal information about my musical background; pics; fans can contact me via email and there is information about future performances.

GIRL: So is this year shaping up to be a busy one for Joanne?

Joanne: I'd like to think so. I am feeling very focused at the moment and the time is right for me to work hard, I really feel that I am at a point where I'm comfortable with what I'm doing, I'm comfortable with the direction and am feeling quite confident and very happy too. So I'm not going to expect too much but I am going to work very hard and just take it a day at a time and appreciate every experience as it comes.

- Annemarie Failla & Michelle Palmer