1:18pm Tuesday 7th July 2009
By Helen Backway
Alex Roots could be a typical teenager, talking about spending the day blogging, updating her profile on social networking sites and going to the cinema with her friends.
But then she mentions going to Beth Ditto’s party and being within touching distance of Kate Moss, meeting the boys from McFly and supporting the Sugababes on tour.
She still displays the usual reactions of a teenage girl though in meeting her pop idols, McFly, gushing: “I’m a huge, huge fan.
“They were really lovely, really down to earth.”
Although the 16-year-old from Bromley is a former pupil at the Italia Conti Academy in east London she is not your typical manufactured pop act in that she co-writes and sings her own songs.
She draws on her own adolescent experience in her writing and describes her debut single Don’t Stop Looking as being about “some guy you really like but haven’t got the confidence, as long as he keeps looking that will be enough for now.”
Despite her tender years she counts Queen, Debbie Harry and Cyndi Lauper among her influences, along with Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne.
And her sound is “pop music but it’s got a bit of an edge, quite punky, quite 80s influenced.”
She is unequivocal when I ask about her ambitions: “I’d love to support Katy Perry.”
And as for duets, Calvin Harris would be a top choice.
Signed to independent record label, Good Groove she has been getting herself known ahead of the release of the single, in a couple of months time.
She supported the Sugababes and has more gigs lined up but so far has not met the girls.
And one of the places on her list sees her going back to her roots, playing at former school, Hawes Down Junior School in West Wickham after her brother, Jack, 10, begged her to come and play.
Speaking to her ahead of the event she admitted she was quite nervous as it was more difficult performing in front of people who know "who you are."
As well as school gigs she is also performing at Westfields shopping centre, headlining at cool hangout Barfly next month and is the face of Claire’s Accessories.
And demonstrating she is still a typical teenage girl she excitedly told me that meant she: “got quite a lot of jewellery from them.”
But despite star turns she is determined to stay grounded.
“I am really down to earth.
“As much as that stuff is cool I really love hanging out with my friends.”
For more information about Alex log onto alexroots.net or myspace.com/alexrootsmusic
Don’t Stop Looking is released on September 7.
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