Sharlene Hector Q&A
Long term Basement Jaxx collaborator and one of the UK’s top soul singers, Sharlene Hector delivers the backing vocals on the new Sola Rosa single For The Mighty Dollar, off the forthcoming album Chasing The Sun. We caught up with Sharlene from her London base for a quick Q&A of how she’s living post lockdown…
Sharlene Hector, what got you into music?
I started singing in church as a child.
How did you get to where you are now as an artist?
I’m lucky to have worked with a number of different artists and groups, which has helped me build a great career! I’ve had a lot of fun, learned a lot and I’ve appreciated all of it.
What are your musical influences and how have they shaped who you are now as an artist?
I’m not entirely sure that who I am as an artist is totally concrete yet; I’m still learning and growing. My friends who are singers and musos have influenced me most!
How did you and Andrew meet?
We met through Kevin Mark Trail who had been singing with Sola Rosa.
You’ve spent a fair amount of time in New Zealand, what led you here and what keeps you coming back?
Every time I went on tour in NZ I would cry when I had to leave. It just feels like a second home to me.
How has the COVID pandemic impacted your career?
When work started to get cancelled, I was extremely relieved because I was super tired. I’d been to the doctor because I was having a lot of trouble with my voice. I was told to rest and I couldn’t see when that was going to happen. Then Covid hit.. and I slept for about a week when we went into lockdown. It was amazing! I’ve loved resting and cooking, sleeping, and chilling out has been invaluable. I’ve realised how little I need.
What projects do you have on the horizon?
I have a single out with UK DJ, Dimension called Saviour, as well as a few other tunes which I can’t mention yet!
