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Despite her hectic schedule, Brit babe Estelle has found time for fellas. This past year has been nothing short of a defining one for the west London songstress. First came the highly anticipated album, Shine, released under the mentorship and guidance of label boss John Legend.
Then came the number one hit, American Boy, a duet shared with rapper Kanye West, which undoubtedly secured the 28-year-old's place as one of the most successful British exports of the year. And to top off an amazing year, she received
Best Female and Best Song gongs at this year's MOBO Awards, beating off competition from favourites Duffy and Leona Lewis.
"I could never have imagined all of this," Estelle said, musing over the year's successes. "And for American Boy to blow up the way it did across the world, I never could have imagined that!" American Boy, the second single from Shine, initially debuted in the UK singles chart at number 72, before jumping an astonishing 71 places to reach number one, where it remained for a further four weeks.
It then went on enjoy enviable success in more than 18 countries across the world, and took pole position as Estelle's highest peaking song since her debut single 1980, which peaked at number 36 back in 2004.
In light of such accomplishments, Estelle admits to being slightly apprehensive about whether her future singles will reach the same pinnacle set by its predecessor. Was she hopeful that her latest single Come Over - a reggae track featuring dancehall star Sean Paul, would be a success?
"I thought, 'maybe it will,' then I thought, 'maybe it won't' because it's a different genre of music and it was released at a different time of year. I released American Boy in the summer and because it was a dance track, it got played in Ibiza and in clubs around the world. That helps sales! Come Over is one of those classic songs that people pull out when they need some music therapy."
The video was certainly hot enough to start its own fire. It featured Estelle and Sean Paul, gyrating sexily, as she crooned, "Won't you come over love, so I can show you love." According to the half Senegalese, half Grenadian star, it was "all for the camera".
"We had to get very close but he was very professional," she said. "We had spent the whole day together and had been to various clubs, so it wasn't uncomfortable. It pushed me as an actress to explore my sexuality and I was happy to do it. I'm definitely not that chick in the video though!"
Estelle has always been one to keep her love life under wraps, but was happy to expose that she is now 'dating in a plural sense'. Still, she was less forthcoming when divulging names or their countries of residence. "I can't let the world know my business, although I can say that it's fun! I've actually started paying a bit more attention now because the year is winding down. I have two days to myself and that has given me the opportunity to talk to a few people. It's important to find the right person so I'm not going to commit until I find him."
The 'him' she refers to will presumably be a real-life American boy, as the star plans to spend 2009 stateside working on new material and reading over TV scripts thatshe has been inundated with since topping the charts. With the foreseeable future in a country regularly dubbed superficial, does she worry about having to conform to America's standardised vision of beauty?
"No," she says firmly. "I will only put more pressure on myself to be just as different as I am now. I use the fact that I'm different to my advantage and the Americans love it and appreciate it." Earlier this year, speculation was rife that Estelle, suddenly sporting braces on her teeth, was the result of orders from her record company. Estelle denies this accusation.
Real reason
"My label didn't tell me to get braces. I've been trying to get them since I was 20 and the real reason I got them is because I figured that I'd be 30 soon and should get it over and done with. At the end of the day, it can only help my career, and people who know me should know better."
With all of the rumours aside, Estelle admits that America has been a positive vehicle in her career and has not taken anything away from her individuality.
"I'll turn up to events in America and everyone will be dressed to the nines looking like it's their Sweet 16. I'll be there in my jeans and my riding boots and people will be like, "You have the freshest outfit on!" And I'll be like, "I know, 'cos I'm from London!" I'm not about doing something for the sake of it and you'll see that with what I come out with in 2009."
Shine is out now on Atlantic Records.
The Voice, Britain's number one black newspaper, is a subsidiary of The Gleaner Company Limited.
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