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I left you last week with my New York New Years Eve shenanigans where Mariah showed why she’s still numero uno diva extraordinaire at Madison Square Gardens. The following night MCC was performing a show at Atlantic City. Not wanting to exhaust her or distract her from her sleep and work duties I took up my girl Estelle’s offer to spend a couple of nights at her swish new Manhattan apartment.
Stell and I had decided to go see a Broadway show so tickets were booked and as we chilled during the day I asked her where Atlantic City was and what it was about. She explained in was a mini Vegas a couple of hours outside of Manhattan but the Lidl/Morrisons version. She suggested showing me if I wanted to go that night. ‘’But we cant’’ I questioned ‘’ we have Broadway show tickets for the Alvin Ailey dance company booked remember’’. To which she retorted ‘’jas, you only live once-we can go after the show and meet Mariah at her after paty if you like. And that’s her Estelle remixed our whole evening!. I paged MCC and told her what we were considering. She hit me back saying ‘’ you’re so silly, if you had decided that this morning you could’ve flown with me in the jet for 20 mins now it’s a 2 hour drive-but come-it would be great to see you guys’’.
I was still contemplating it with the group when Estelle decided for us. ‘’right ,after the Broadway show we’re going-lets make a night of it!’’ and within 30 mins 6 of us were piled into a huge black escalade and en route to Atlantic city at 11pm!. The drive up was nuts, the stereo wasn’t working so we played ‘’marry,shag,dump’’. Would love to reveal some of the comments that had us rolling but you know what they say-what happens in the back of an escalade….. We finally arrive at Atlantic city at 1am and Mariah’s tour manager meets us at the entrance to walk us in. good thing he did, cos Stell and I being typical Brits still not having learnt to carry ID around at all times in America hadn’t brought proof that we were over 18 and so the club weren’t going to let us in!.
That’s where having MCC hosting the party with her hubby nick cannon comes in handy. We stepped in , all hugged and screamed in delight, threw back some ‘’apple juice’’, danced on the tables, all that in 45 mins-which is how much longer Nick was on the decks before the Carey Cannons made their farewells and exited , we strolled to the club next door where Jermaine (Dupri) was holding his bash, danced for 20 more mins and then jumped back into the ride to arrive back in Estelle’s crib by 6am. That’s what you call a last minute whirlwind adventure!. A 4 hour round trip with a superstar to see another superstar for an hour. It’s a mad life.
The next night I flew home to London for my official birth date where the original plan was to have a dinner party in a restaurant. but alas the brits were getting their knickers in a twist because of the ‘’horrific snow ‘’ drama so I thought it best not to force my friends and family to attempt to get to the restaurant so I suggested a pyjama party at my crib instead. That way peeps could relax and chill and spend the night if necessary.
It was the best idea. Chinese and Indian food was ordered in, an amazing patisserie Valerie cake was organised by my mates, I put hair rollers in and by the end of the night there were bin liners full of empty cristal bottles outside the crib. It got so mad that at 5am the girls forced a big, well known, UK music man to let us paint his nails blue. Under duress and over powered by a strange alcoholic substance in a silver bottle with a foreign name, he surrendered. At 6am when I insisted I ‘’couldn’t find any nail varnish remover’’ (wink wink) to take it off he stated ‘’fine-I’ll use that alcohol shot stuff’’.
And readers we watched as the lethal potion actually stripped his nails clean-and people drink that! Another of my guests that night was Ms Terri Walker. Readers-Terri has one of my favourite voices of any British female artist. Terri lives literally around the corner from me so got herself into her PJ’s on route to another rave. As soon as she walked through the door and I thrust a flute of bubbly into her hand. Terri and I have known each other years. We met when we both dated band members from a well known boy band from back in the day. She recalls meeting me ‘’ I remember thinking ‘damn this girl is fabulous-you were wearing a fur jacket and just looked fierce’’. My memory of ‘Terri fun’ is once at her birthday karaoke I shrieked my way through lots of songs with enough attitude and my tone deaf vocals whilst all her guests cringed in embarrassment for me LOL!.
Now Terri’s back with her 4th album after spending a few years off when she was lending her vocals to renowned producer Salam Remi for his singles for Fergie, Jennifer Hudson, Nas and others. Terri revealed that her new music is going to be pure hip-hop laced with infectious soulful, dreamy melodies and topics. She’s so excited she cant wait to let you all hear it. She confessed ‘’I’m just happy to have found me again, music will always stand the test of time if its from the heart and a true depiction of you. Before I was chasing the dream of being a singer, now I’m chasing the dream of leaving a mark and inspire people’’.
When she stepped away from the music biz Terri reverted back to her real name ‘’Chanelle’’ when she called me to reveal ‘’I’m coming back into the music scene-new music and Terri Walker is back!’’. (Readers it had taken me about 3 years to remember to call her Chanelle-my old brain cells cant take this!). Terri laughed at me saying ‘’I’m really excited about the UK at the moment, we have created our own scene, Donaeo is by far one of my favourites as he is consistent and had at least 3 club anthems .I also love Tinnie Tempahs tune ‘’Pass Out’’-its an undeniable hit’’. Touching on the big chart hitters from last year Terri added ‘’ I’m not opposed to the Chipmunk and Tinchy era, I think they are great young businessmen but their music doesn’t really hit a nerve for me unfortunately. I think they’re clever on how they structure their songs but after a while I feel like its very formula. I get it-but its just not for me, maybe I’m just old ha ha’’.
Terries new album ‘’Champagne Flutes’’ which is produced by the legendary Salaam Remi will be out the first half of this year, a track from the project entitled “Hey Baby” was featured on the “Sex and the City Vol2” soundtrack. ‘‘Champagne flutes’’ will have contributions from “Skibeatz”(Jigga,Camp Lo,Lil Kim) “James Yarde” (Drawing board (moi) ) and whoever else can excite Terri!. She laughs ‘’I’m going for that Hip-hop sound with beautiful melodies and racy topics. I’m mad excited!’’ Its hard to stay focused on day to day business as usual with Haiti’s tragedy playing in the background of our daily lives, Terri agreed ‘’I think the UK should really show Haiti’s history over the years and show their struggle even before the quake. It couldn’t have happened to a more unfortunate country –we need to keep supporting them’’.
With Valentines Day mere days away Terri suggested donating Valentine gift cash to the cause and revealed ‘’I’m usually breaking up with someone or single on valentines day lol, this time however I am seeing someone and hopefully we’ll be soaking in a champagne filled bathtub’’!. But before that readers -its my big birthday party this weekend and with its Motown meets Dreamgirls dress code Terri’s threatened to get on the mic channelling her inner Diana- more juice on the whole crazy night soon!