As part of a large family, the lead singer of 80’s pop group 5 Star knows only too well what the true meaning of Christmas is all about. Now for the first time, she has released her first Christmas record…
By Ian Woolley
This year sees the 40th anniversary of 5 Star. Throughout the 1980s, they amassed over 20 top thirty UK singles. They are still the youngest-ever British act to have a number-one album, the first black pop group to win a BRIT Award as well as the first group to achieve seven consecutive hit singles from a single album in the UK.
“I can’t believe it’s been that long”, their lead singer Deniece tells me. “It seems like only yesterday we were on Pebble Mill at One or handing notes to Miss saying could I have the day off to do the Royal Variety Show. We were forever on Top Of The Pops and it just seems like yesterday”. Now for the first time, their lead singer has written a Christmas song called “Santa Claus Is Coming” which will be released on 1st December.
See Deniece’s Christmas video HERE
“I had fun writing it and it came to me very quickly just like ‘Forever Young’.
It’s a Caribbean Christmas for Deniece as she presents her original Christmas song ‘Santa Claus is Coming’. Celebrating the true meaning of Christmas and also the fun side of the season, the reggae-flavored ‘Santa Claus is Coming’ is an uplifting, joyful sing-along with pitch-perfect harmonies and an infectious groove – a modern-day Christmas song with all the hallmarks of a keeper.
“With it being 5 Star’s 40th Anniversary what better than to release my first ever Christmas Song,” says Deniece. “I wanted to celebrate Christmas – one of my favourite times of the year by writing a song which spreads love, celebrates the true meaning of Christmas and makes you want to dance too. Some people grew up believing that it’s the birth of Christ and some people grew up with the Santa Claus theme where you write a letter to Santa. and so I came up with this new song”.
I asked what Christmas meant to her.
“When we were at school, on Sundays we’d say our prayers through stain-glassed windows and sing our hymns. Christmas is family time just sitting by the fire and spending time together eating and drinking and being grateful and thankful. It’s kinda like Thanksgiving a month earlier like they do in America with my son and daughter who live there”.
With such a big family, what fond memories did Deniece have?
She laughs “I still have a big family. One thing though that I remember and really enjoyed was when I was about 10 years old. I heard a noise downstairs and went down and Doris my sister was sitting by the radiator which was nice and hot with just the Christmas light on. Lorraine too came downstairs and all three of us pulled our nighties right down over our knees and toes with our backs to the radiator just waiting for Christmas Day when we could open our presents. We were just sitting there talking and laughing quietly and it was just amazing”.
That really stuck in my mind”.
Does she still keep in touch with her siblings?
“Absolutely, I still speak to Lorraine and her daughter along with all my nieces and nephews. I spoke to Del about two weeks ago who lives in Los Angeles with his three babies except their not babies anymore. Both Sted and Doris live just down the road”.
Christmas Is Coming
A new single called will be released in February along with a new album in the spring.
Any plans for a group reunion in the future?
“There has hopefully, fingers crossed. I would never say never and I would so love for it to happen”.
Finally, I asked her if she could give one Christmas wish to the world, what would it be?
“Look after one another and all have a wonderful Merry Christmas. Forgive and forget and spread the love and help each other”.
Amen to that.
80S ICON CONTINUES 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS WITH FIRST EVER CHRISTMAS SINGLE: ‘SANTA CLAUS IS COMING’ OUT ON 1st DECEMBER.
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