B*Witched were one of the big pop acts in the late 90s following their breakthrough hit C’est La Vie.
The Irish quartet – Edele & Keavy Lynch, Lindsay Armaou and Sinéad O’Carroll – released 2 albums and 8 singles scoring 4 number ones in the UK. In 2002 ahead of the release of their third album B*Witched split after O’Carroll decided to leave the band following the band’s departure from their record label.
In 2012 the girl group reunited for ITV2’s The Big Reunion and released new EP Champagne or Guinness in 2014. Since then things have been quiet but the group recently released C’est La Vie: The Collection.
We caught up with Lindsay Armaou to talk about the release, discuss the group’s experience on The Big Reunion, and talk about what the future holds for B*Witched.
Hello Lindsay! How are you today? Where does this email Q&A find you?
Hello! I am at home in Manchester where I live these days. Enjoying the sunshine today which is a rare thing up here so making the most of it!
C’est La Vie: The Collection was released recently. Tell us what it’s all about.
It’s a collection of all the songs we’ve recorded over the years. Its two hours of pure B*Witched magical melodies and 90s nostalgia, what else can a person want?!
Which song from your career are you most proud of and why?
It might be obvious but it has to be C’est La Vie. It’s what launched our career and put us on the map. Eighteen years later and people still remember it, it’s amazing to see when we do shows, everyone sings along to it and knows all the words. I will never forget the moment we found out it went straight to number one, it was such a dream come true. It went on to be number one in many other countries and went triple platinum which is just massive! After that the song I most love is Blame it on the Weatherman.
Is there a song you’ve recorded that you’re not quite so keen on?
Probably haha! No not really. There are ones l like less than others but that’s normal I suppose. I don’t dislike any of them, they are snapshots of a moment in time when we created something and without sounding too sentimental that makes each song special to us in some way.
You released EP Champagne or Guinness in 2014 and there were rumours of a third album. Do you have any plans to release more new music?
Not at the moment no. We had a great time writing and recording the EP but it’s much harder these days as we all have such busy lives, with children, careers etc. Also we all live quite far apart so the logistics of getting us all in one place at the same time can sometimes feel like mission impossible. But I guess you never know what the future will bring. It’s our 20 year anniversary coming up in a couple of years!
You did a headline tour in support of your EP. Where can your fans see you playing live next?
The wonderful thing is we still do shows, it’s actually a bit like a girls night out – we get to dress up and do hair and makeup, go for dinner together, then get on stage and do some numbers, have a few drinks and a girlie catch up and then head home the next day! We have one coming up on 12th March at Sink the Pink in London, and then a couple in April in Ireland – 22nd at the Silver Granite in Dublin and the 23rd at Garavouge Club in Sligo. We have a few over the summer months too.
The Big Reunion thrust you all back into the spotlight. What was the biggest thing you learned about yourselves on the show?
Good question! I learned that I’ve grown up and changed a lot since I was in the band the first time round. I suppose life experience does that but also I worked on myself a lot over the years, personally and as a performer. I grew in confidence and I am much more comfortable in my own skin now, so I come at things from a different perspective. I also learned that I don’t like or have time for drama. I can see how it takes up people’s energy and they get so caught up in their dramas that they can’t see clearly. Therefore they attract more of it. I try to avoid it. It’s not a good energy. I like to focus on good things and things that are truly important, and to keep my emotional health happy and peaceful.
Looking back at that experience, is there anything you would do differently or do you have any regrets about it?
There were certain subjects that I didn’t want to talk about on the show because I didn’t feel they had anything to do with it. The show was about reuniting bands and band members. There was pressure on me to talk about my personal life. I’m glad I didn’t and I wouldn’t change that but in hindsight I might have managed it slightly differently as they did focus on personal life regardless, but I did my best at the time.
What advice would you give to young people trying to find a break in the music industry?
Be good at what you do, Practise, put the work in, so that when opportunity knocks you are ready to grab it with both hands and give it your best shot. Be Persistent. And be Pro-active. The three P’s!
What else do you have coming up in 2016 either as B*Witched or with your solo projects?
Who knows what’s around the corner. That’s another thing life has taught me. ‘Life is a box of chocolates… You never know what you’re going to get.’ Forrest Gump.
B*Witched’s C’est La Vie: The Collection is available now. Watch the group’s music video for C’est La View below:
