First&Last The Salford singer divulges her love of cats, admits to some weird eating habits, and confesses to an early crush on Michael Jackson
really tragic and everyone would cry, all my enemies could sit at the front. First thing you think of when you wake up in the morning ‘I’m late! Overslept. Shit.’ Usually something like that.
Last thing you think of before you go to sleep Usually something in the past that I’m dwelling on, you always think of mental things at night don’t you? Usually just some kind of frantic thought. I’m not that great at sleeping to be thought. I’m not that great at sleeping to be honest, I need to tell myself to calm down and I honest, I need to tell myself to calm down and I eventually fall asleep. eventually fall asleep. y j
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■ Ren plays T in the Park, Balado, ■ Ren plays T in the Park, Balado, Fri 6–Sun 8 Jul, and Oran Mor, Fri 6–Sun 8 Jul, and Oran Mor, Glasgow, Sun 7 Oct. GlaG sgow, Sun 7 Oct.
First record you ever bought ‘Stan’ by Eminem, on cassette, from Woolworths. Last extravagant purchase you made I don’t really make extravagant purchases. I guess it’d be my dog – I spent £300 on him. He looks like a little mutt – he’s got an adorable little squashed-up face. His name’s Ralph.
First film you saw that really moved you I don’t know why, but Gone with the Wind – I didn’t really like Scarlett O’Hara – but it’s head. the first one that popped into my head. p pp
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so it’s kind of embarrassing. When I was in America I did ‘These Boots Are Made for Walking’, that went down quite well. So yeah I think I’d do that. Last time you exploited your position to get something I suppose the good thing at the moment is that I can get into free gigs with people that are on my La label. Last year I got to see James Blake for free which wa which was cool, so that’s a good perk I suppose.
First time you realised you were F y
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Last lie you told Oh, I’m horrible at lying – I go at lying – I go end not to do it. bright red – so I tend not to do it. First movie you ever went on a ever went on a date to One with Jim Carrey. I remember rey. I remember n’t very romantic!’ thinking, ‘This isn’t very romantic!’
R E N H A R V I E U H A R V I E U famous famous I’m not! (laughs) I’m absolutely not. I’m not! (laughs) I’m absolutely not. I just walk around Salford with no I just walk around Salford with no make-up on and no one recognises m make-up on and no one recognises me. Sometimes I get the odd me me. Sometimes I get the odd pers rson if I’m made up and I lookk person if I’m made up and I look e Ren, and I don’t look like R like Ren, and I don’t look like Lauren, but most of thee lik like Lauren, but most of the time people don’t recognise me time people don’t recognise me
Last time you cried ried I’m an emotional wreck – I’m always crying. I wreck – I’m always crying. I e, it was because I drank gin, and think the last time, it was because I drank gin, and efore. Dunno why that made me I hadn’t tried it before. Dunno why that made me cry though.
First thing you do when you’ve got time off do when you’ve got time off work I just de-Ren, basically, and just be a massive ically, and just be a massive Just take off all my make-up, geek, which I am. Just take off all my make-up, nd watch loads of films. hide in my flat, and watch loads of films. Last great meal you cooked you cooked I’m a bit weird with food, I have a ritual with ith food, I have a ritual with I eat – not cos I wanna lose certain things that I eat – not cos I wanna lose bit OCD. It’s probably chilli, weight, I’m just a bit OCD. It’s probably chilli, to . . . quite healthy, actually, with a baked potato . . . quite healthy, actually, it’s not bad.
First crush Oh God . . . I think it was probably Michael k it was probably Michael m in ‘Earth Song’ when he was Jackson. I saw him in ‘Earth Song’ when he was rees and was all like, ‘Oooh, holding onto the trees and was all like, ‘Oooh, as Michael Jackson. Which is look at him!’ It was Michael Jackson. Which is weird.
First great piece of advice you were given e of advice you were given Probably my mum saying to me, ‘Don’t compare m saying to me, ‘Don’t compare or you’ll become vain and yourself to others or you’ll become vain and k that’s quite poignant, especially bitter,’ and I think that’s quite poignant, especially in this job I’m in.
Last time you were star struck ere star struck I don’t know about star struck but meeting Tom ut star struck but meeting Tom ng. It’s not like I’m a massive Jones was amazing. It’s not like I’m a massive ut he’s just got a presence. Tom Jones fan but he’s just got a presence.
First song you’ll sing at karaoke sing at karaoke It’s a bit of a horror cos my mum loves karaoke or cos my mum loves karaoke 6 THE LIST 21 Jun–19 Jul 2012 –19 Jul 2012
cos without my make-up on I look cos without my make-up on I look about 12. It’s a good disguise. about 12. It’s a good disguise.
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really really Last time someone Last time someone criticised your criticised your work work I I constructive criticism, I constructive criticism, I think it’s really helpful, think it’s really helpful, but I decided quite recentlyy but I decided quite recently that I’m gonna stop reading that I’m gonna stop reading press and things like that. press and things like that. Just because when you get a Just because when you get a negative review, no matter negative review, no matter what anybody says, it really what anybody says, it really does hurt your feelings. does hurt your feelings.
First three words your First three words your friends would use to describe friends would use to describe you you I think they’d say I’m a very I think they’d say I’m a very warm person, a bit scatty and a warm person, a bit scatty and a bit unpredictable. I can be really, bit unpredictable. I can be really, really giddy; then really, really the really giddy; then really, really the opposite, depending on my mood. I’m opposite, depending on my mood. I’m very up and very down. very up and very down.
First concert you ever attended First concert you ever attended I think it was Stevie Wonder, I’m pretty I think it was Stevie Wonder, I’m pretty sure, which is kinda amazing. sure, which is kinda amazing. Last time you bought someone flowers Last time you bought someone flowers I bought some for my mate’s 21st about I bought some for my mate’s 21st about two days ago. two days ago.
Last song at your funeral Last song at your funeral I’m not sure. My mum wants ‘Riding I’m not sure. My mum wants ‘Riding Dirty’ by Chamillionaire, but I don’t Dirty’ by Chamillionaire, but I don’t know if that would fit in my funeral. know if that would fit in my funeral. I don’t know, maybe just something I don’t know, maybe just something