Bardot came to Singapore for a very brief visit to grace the New Paper New Faces 2001 Finals and to promote their latest album, "Play It Like That". Although it marked the second time that I got to meet them, there were a number of obvious changes that happened to the group. Read on to find out more.

Interview with Sophie Monk and Sally Polihronas

Welcome back to Singapore. How's the trip this time around?
Sophie: Good, we haven't got out yet. We've done a lot of interviews so we haven't got time to go around yet.

The cover of "Play It Like That" shows a less glamourous side of Bardot. Is that the group's new image?
Sophie: No it's just a different look. I don't think we've got set looks. We've got a lot of looks. But that's our more casual look. It's more relax.
Sally: It's just more cool like that.
Sophie: And summer is coming up in Australia.

So the album is to coincide with the season it will be launched?
Sally: Yeah and we want to have a different approach as well and we don't want to known as just being glamourous but in actual fact we are quite the down-to-earth chicks.

Your songs in the new album have that party vibe and definitely more up tempo.
Sally: That's what we love about the new album and that's the focus of the new album.

Do you find yourselves being more experimental in the new album as compared to the first one, which is more pop-ish and commercialized?
Sally: Yeah, I think so with the songs we picked to go into the album and also the vocals. With the vocals, we are more experimental with that as well. We actually had a lot of fun recording it. We happened to have a longer period of time whereas the first album was very rushed.

Do you think that with your second album you are able to retain the original/old fanbase?
Sophie: Definitely, I think they have moved along as well. As well as their music have naturally modernized so as our album. So hopefully they'll follow and love it.
Sally: I think we have expanded our fanbase as well. Obviously the little kids follow what's cool and what's not. I think this album really kind of touches the older market as well. 'Cos its quite funky with stuff that you can hear out of the dancefloor.

The first album was slower and with some nice ballads. For the new one, it only has one or two. Do you think that you will lose out on the fans who love ballads?
Sophie: We find actually that Singapore focuses more on ballads rather than dance. Australia loves upbeat. Personally Sally loves ballad songs whereas I love more up-tempo songs so for me its much better to listen to. At least we got it in the new album. Better than none.

After Madison Avenue and Kylie Minogue crafted the dance phenomena to the whole world, will Bardot follow suit as well?
Sally: We are not really focusing on just dance. The album is still quite diverse; it's got its funky grooves, a bit of R&B, bit of dance and a bit of poppy tunes as well. I think we are not really going into one genre. It's quite diverse. So what Kylie has done and what we've done is not necessarily or exactly the same. We are doing what people want. You've got to listen to your fans and what they are wanting.

Can you shed a bit of light on to why Katie left?
Sophie: That came through when she auditioned a part in a musical. She really wanted to go out and try something different. When she asked us all on how we feel about it. We told her to do whatever that makes her happy. She left but we still speak to her and we still love Katie because she was a big part of what Bardot was. But also everything happens for a reason and that's the reason why we are here now with a different sound and a different image, everything. So we always try to work out with a positive change.

For the rest of Bardot, would you pursue your other dreams?
Sophie: If I was passionate about something, I would but at the moment this is my focus.
Sally: Everyone's got so many other talents in the group. That's what makes us work because we compliment each other in different ways. I think at the time being we are all focusing on Bardot straightening and putting our minds into that. But definitely Sophie would make an amazing actress and I'm sure she would go on and do that in the future and I would be a mum.

What do you think of the second Popstars, Scandal'us?
Sophie: They are lovely kids. They deserve success as well.
Sally: They are very different from us and I know a couple of them and they are really lovely.

After Singapore and the Asian region, are there plans to break into US?
Sally: We are concentrating more on the UK and Germany, hopefully Japan and Europe. It is the first territories that we want to break into. If the US happens then it happens and hopefully we'll bring the album to a higher level. And then we see what happens.

The A.S.A.P video was quite interesting. Who came out with the concept?
Sally: We all kind of sat around with the music director. The music director was the one who was the same guy who did Poison. We just sat around a table and gave our ideas we thought we wanted to do a performance-based video. And we all went off and designed our own costumes. And it was pretty much our own input.

So each costume represented the individual Bardot character in the video..
Sally: The new single, "I Need Somebody" clip is awesome. It's even better. It is where we are really progressing and evolve. A really cool video.
Sophie: It's more mature
Sally: So you will see Bardot going through different stages.

After the promotions here, what's next for Bardot?
Sophie: I think overseas. But we've got to go back to Australia now cos the new album is released in Singapore before Australia. So we got to go back and finish promoting the single that is released in Australia and then do the album there.

Your love life.
Sally: Tiffany is getting married next year.
Sophie: I'm still with the same guy, Chris.
Sally: Belinda is kinda single but seeing someone and I'm still happy and single.
Sophie: I can pick a guy for Sally..and it's a bit like louis…the Singaporean host on The Tube.. (and Sally blushes)

Your last words for your fans.
Sophie: Thank you for being so lovely. I genuinely mean that. They are such nice and understanding people, they are not forceful, they give great gifts and they are very passionate.
Sally: They are loyal. We've not met them for over year and they'll always email. They are just the same since the last time we were over here.
Sophie: They are amazing and very genuine.

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