“The odds were highly stacked against me as a half-Scottish, half-Malaysian rapper from West London!”

UK music legend Betty Boo (Alison Clarkson) became a firm favourite of pop fans, serving striking looks, charm aplenty, and her own brand of hip-hop meets pop. The star returns with new album Rip Up the Rulebook arriving on the 30th of August 2024 which delivers her incomparable sound on several optimistic pop bangers such as It Was Beautiful, One Day and Barbarella on which she collaborates with Andy Wright and Gavin Goldberg.

After some time in hip-hop groups such as the She Rockers, the star would deliver iconic 1990 album Boomania containing hits such as Where Are You Baby?, Doin’ the Do, and Hey DJ / I Can’t Dance (To That Music You’re Playing). A vastly underrated follow-up LP GRRR! It’s Betty Boo arrived in 1992, which would be Betty Boo’s last album until comeback triumph Boomerang arrived in 2022.

The star chatted to us about her highs in the music industry, creating her new LP Rip Up the Rulebook and embracing creative freedom, as well as the enduring appeal of her nineties hits.

Rip Up the Rulebook arrives digitally this Friday. Vinyl, CD and Cassette versions arrive on October 4th. Pre-order here. Connect with Betty Boo here. Read our interview with Betty Boo below.

Congratulations on Rip Up the Rulebook. How are you feeling ahead of the album’s release?

I can’t wait for people to hear it. I finished it a few months ago, and I even added one track at the last minute. I performed it at my show in Islington at the Assembly, and the response was fantastic. I just can’t wait for it to be out there. When you create something, it’s basically stored on your computer and shared with the people you’re working with, but the ultimate goal is for the world to hear it.

Boomerang was only released two years ago, so it hasn’t been a long wait for your next album. What prompted the decision to release the new album so soon?

I felt like I was on a creative roll and didn’t want to lose that momentum. It had been quite a long time before I released an album prior to Boomerang—the last one was in the 90s—so I thought, why stop now? I love working with my co-writers, Andy Wright and Gavin Goldberg, and they enjoy working with me too. So, what’s not to love? I think it’s all about keeping the momentum and continuing to create great things. I’m amazed we still had so many ideas—maybe they were just stored up in my brain all this time!

Rip Up the Rulebook taps into a sense of defying what’s expected of you. Did you have the theme and concept in mind before you started recording, or did it develop as you created the album?

If I’m honest, it’s something I’ve always done. When I first came out with Doin’ the Do, the odds were highly stacked against me as a half-Scottish, half-Malaysian rapper from West London. Rap or pop-rap wasn’t really mainstream then—it was still quite underground.

So, I broke the rules in a lot of ways, even with Where Are You Baby?, which I wrote in my bedroom. I didn’t follow the typical 12-bar structure; I realised I could mix it up with a 12-bar verse and an 8-bar chorus. To most musicians, that’s like breaking the law—you’re not supposed to do that!

I’ve always felt that what I do is a little bit different. As the songs were coming together for Boomerang, I realised my sound doesn’t really resemble anyone else’s, and that felt natural.

One of the collaborations on Rip Up the Rulebook is It Was Beautiful with HEX. How did that come about?

I wrote it with Andy Wright, my co-writer and producer. Initially, he sang the verses and I sang the choruses, and we thought it might be nice to have a collaboration with someone else on the final version. On the last record, I enjoyed having a male vocalist with me [David Gray featured on Right By Your Side from Boomerang] because it’s something I hadn’t done before.

As the song developed, it had a modern edge, almost like a Radio 1 track. Andy’s nephew, HEX, is an artist in his own right, and he expressed interest in getting involved. So, one day he just showed up at his uncle’s studio and laid down some lyrics.

The result is highly melodic, with a nostalgic and summery feel. It’s a different sound for me, and I’m eager to keep exploring new genres.

Was it an obvious choice to select It Was Beautiful as the first taster of the album?

Yes, it was. I thought it would be a nice introduction to what’s coming. This campaign has been a bit different because I just want to keep putting music out there. It might not even be another two years before the next release—I might do it right after this album comes out. Staying creative is so positive, and I’d say that to anyone: you don’t have to wait until you feel inspired. Just showing up and doing the work is good for the soul.

It seems like the traditional approach of waiting a certain amount of time before releasing new music is a bit outdated. Is it satisfying as an artist to release tracks when you’re ready and get immediate feedback?

Absolutely. You can do whatever you want—that’s how I feel. I’m not signed to a record label; this is my own label, and these are my rules. If I want to release something for people to hear, why not? There’s nothing stopping me.

There’s a traditional way of doing things, sure—we’ve had a couple of singles, then the album, and we’ll probably have another single or two afterward. But if you have the tools to put music out, you can do what you want. The opportunities are endless.

Can you tell me a little about Barbarella? It’s a standout track from the new album. Were you inspired by the Jane Fonda film?

Oh, definitely. I’ve always been fascinated by sci-fi and spacey elements because they offer escapism. The video for Where Are You Baby? was very space-inspired as well.

Barbarella is about those days when you feel a bit drab, and you just want to put on your platform shoes, sequined clothes, and false eyelashes—to become somebody else. It’s about female empowerment, too. I haven’t actually seen Barbarella, but I love the character. Jane Fonda is stunning in that film, and it’s kind of cheesy, which I like.

I loved writing that song. It was the last track we added to the album. The week I was mastering the record, we had eleven tracks, and I thought, “I don’t like odd numbers—I like even numbers!” So, I decided to make a twelfth track. Andy was about to go on holiday, and I called him on a Thursday and said, “Can we write together in the studio tomorrow?” He was supposed to be packing, but we managed to squeeze it in. By the next Monday, we were finalising the record, and by Friday, we were mastering it and adding it to the album.

As part of the She Rockers, you supported Public Enemy. Was it intense performing for their crowd?

We weren’t officially billed; we just turned up and did some stuff with them. Nobody was there to see three 17-year-old girls from London. Public Enemy was at the height of their fame, one of the biggest rap groups in the world alongside the Beastie Boys. The crowd wasn’t there for us.

I’d call it my apprenticeship. I left my A-levels because I knew I wanted to be involved in music. There’s a fearlessness you have when you’re young—you don’t think about the dangers. It was in Harlem, and I think someone had been knifed that evening—it wasn’t a safe place, but it was a good experience overall, and I took the best bits from it.

Chuck D was a great mentor. He was really into female empowerment and believed girl rappers weren’t represented properly. He was encouraging and even featured on my last album for one of my singles called Miracle, so we were able to rekindle that friendship.

Boomania is now thirty-four years old. Do you still enjoy performing tracks from that album?

I really do. You don’t look into the future and think, “Oh, I’ll be performing these in 34 years’ time.” I see people in the crowd rapping along to the verses, and they’re quite difficult to rap, but they’ve learned them by heart. It’s in my DNA now!

You worked with the great William Orbit before he produced Madonna’s Ray of Light on your track 24 Hours from Boomania. Plus, Madonna classes herself as a fan. How does that feel?

It was great fun, and having that affirmation from Queen Madonna herself was incredible. I was signed to Sire Records in America, and Seymour Stein, who signed her, flew over on Concord to see me at a gig at Camden Palace (now Koko) because he wanted to sign me. He signed me on the spot and said, “Madonna loves you.” I thought it was just the American way of buttering you up, so I took it with a pinch of salt. But a few years later, I learned she really was a massive fan. She got in touch with me and even recited Doin’ the Do, which was great fun. That’s when it really hit home that she was into my stuff. I’ll definitely be telling the grandchildren that one day.

You followed up Boomania with GRRR! It’s Betty Boo, which is a really underrated album and never quite hit the same chart highs as its predecessor. Why do you think that was?

I’m not entirely sure. I just did what came naturally to me and what I felt was the next step. In hindsight, I think maybe they threw too much money at it—it was a bit too polished, whereas Boomania was raw and ready. Madonna loved it, though—she publicly said how underrated it was.

Maybe it was just a little too polished, but Let Me Take You There was a masterpiece. Musically, it was such a beautiful song to write, and I’m really happy with how it turned out.

At least you can say you have Lennon and McCartney as co-writers on I’m On My Way!

Yes, that’s true! It’s the first time they allowed another name on the same writing credits as them. When I did I’m On My Way, I shoehorned a little bit of Lady Madonna in there. It was a great idea, and we even managed to get the original saxophone player Ronnie Scott. Apparently, when we were trying to get clearance, Paul McCartney initially refused, but his daughter Mary told him, “Dad, are you kidding? Betty Boo is my favourite artist—you’ve got to let this happen!” And then he agreed. At least, that’s how the story goes!

As a songwriter, you’ve worked on tracks for Dannii Minogue, Louise Redknapp, and Girls Aloud—top-tier pop talent. Are there any of these tracks you’re particularly proud of?

It’s a very different job when you’re writing for other people. You get the job done, make sure it’s right for the artist, and then move on. But when it comes to my own stuff, I put a lot more heart into it—it’s less clinical, I guess. A lot of the time, I’ve sort of forgotten about the tracks I’ve written for others. Is that mad? I even remembered the other day that I wrote a track for Paloma Faith called Smoke and Mirrors, and I liked it. But again, a lot of these are songs I wouldn’t ever perform myself.

So we won’t be hearing Betty Boo doing Pure and Simple at all?

Well, you know, I did perform it once, and the response was so good. People love it—they love singing along. It’s like a school disco at the end, with everyone putting their hands in the air. I have to say, I’m proud of that song.

At the time, I didn’t think it would have such an impact because it’s sort of a throwaway song, but people really love it. It’s reappeared in so many different places, like Car Share with Peter Kay.

Thanks so much for taking the time to chat!

Rip Up the Rulebook is available to stream from Friday. Physical copies will be released in October 2024.