Brunch with…

a new interview series from Flamingo.

We’ve always believed the best conversations happen around the table. Good food, drink, hospitality, and people with stories worth hearing.

This week, we’re excited to welcome Shola Ama to Flamingo Café Bar Ashley Cross for the very first episode of Brunch with… a new lifestyle-led interview series celebrating inspiring people connected to Bournemouth, Poole and the surrounding area.

Over brunch at Flamingo Ashley Cross, we sat down with Shola to talk about her life, career, music, the South Coast, and her upcoming performance at Christchurch Music Festival this summer.

Known for iconic hits including You Might Need Somebody and You’re The One I Love, Shola became one of the defining voices of late-90s British R&B, earning BRIT and MOBO Awards and building a career that continues to resonate with audiences today.

Let’s begin..

Shola, is a brunch something you regularly make time for, or more of a treat?
It used to be something I did a lot, but now I think it’s more of an occasional treat.

What makes a brunch genuinely memorable for you – the food, the company, the atmosphere, or something else entirely?
I think the food and the company, always. But mostly the company. Friends that have a lot to say, slightly exciting stories.

Who would your dream brunch guest be, living or dead?
I have to go with Prince. Because he’s a musical genius, quite an interesting man, and I’d like to have brunch and just pick his brain. And also, just hanging out with Prince would be really cool.

We’re meeting at Flamingo Ashley Cross today — what usually catches your eye on our brunch menu?
Well, I’m vegetarian now, so I’m really looking at the plant-based English, but with eggs. [Editor’s note: Shola also suggested we add a vegetarian-friendly taco to the menu. Consider it noted!]

When you look back at the beginning of your career, what’s the first memory that still feels vivid today?
Probably winning the BRIT Award. That was only a year after I signed my record deal. That was kind of the moment where I was like, “Okay, I’m really in this now. I’m doing it. It’s happening.” So yeah, probably the BRITs.

You Might Need Somebody became such a defining track — did you realise at the time how big it was going to become?
No, I hated that song. [Laughs] I was 16, and I was listening to what I thought was really cool music — Aaliyah, Brandy, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac. Then they came to me with this song that had been written in the ’70s, and it just sounded ancient. It didn’t make sense to me at the time. But as I’ve lived with the song for 30 years and sung it for 30 years, I’ve grown to have a different respect for it.

The late 90s British R&B scene had such a unique energy. What did that era feel like from the inside?
Very cool. Very fun. Very exciting times. America was where everything was at — their hip-hop and R&B was huge and really influenced us — but ours was growing and bubbling up. We had groups, we had a scene really starting to emerge in the UK. So yeah, it was a really exciting time.

What have been some of the biggest lessons music and the industry have taught you over the years?
One of the biggest lessons is: while you’re in music, look after yourself — mentally, spiritually, physically. Cut down on the alcohol if you can help it, or just stop altogether. Take care of your own business because, when you’re a teenager coming into the industry, you’re sort of just figuring it out, and not everyone has your best interests. So probably the biggest lesson is that it’s a business. As much as you love it, and you might be friends with people in the industry, it’s a business.

Is there a particular performance or moment in your career that means the most to you personally?
There’s two, actually. The first would be when I went on tour with the Fugees — doing arena shows. It was me, Jay-Z, and the Fugees, but Jay-Z was the opening act and I was on after him. He wasn’t known in the UK at the time. So that was Wembley Arena and a few arenas around the UK. I remember having a lot of fun on that tour.

And then also, probably the Vatican. I sang for the Pope at the Vatican. It was Christmas 1998, I think. That stands out because my grandma was so proud. She used to play the video on repeat. I’d go around to her house on a Sunday, and before I could get to the door, I could hear her playing the video of me at the Vatican coming out the window. She was so proud about it. That was a pretty big deal.

You’ve spent alot of time in Bournemouth and Poole over the years — what is it about the area that you enjoy?
I like the pace of life down here. Everything’s chilled. And also, I’m a bit of a nature girlie, so I like being by the ocean, by the water, by the forest. For me, it’s all about peace, nature, and being out of the hustle and bustle of the city.

How does life on the South Coast compare to the pace of London and the music industry?
Completely different. I always say to people that it’s almost like my incubator. It’s where I go to recharge. I plug myself in, do lots of yoga, do nature things, and then I go and live my life and my industry everywhere else. But this is the place where I come for refuge and salvation and just to recuperate and rebuild myself.

What does a perfect day off look like for you down here?
Usually, we get up, go to The Yoga Lounge, 90-minute Bikram class. Then Flamingo for brunch. And then vintage shopping — I love a bit of vintage shopping. There’s loads of different vintage places down here. Hang out with friends, maybe go down the beach, a bit of sunset. Yeah, the whole lot.

What kind of food or drink are you usually drawn to when relaxing with friends?
Well, I’ve been veggie for two years, so for me it’s very limited. I have to take what I can get. I just look on the menu and see what I’m allowed to have. [Laughs] I was pescatarian from 2019, but it was more of an intuitive, spiritual choice. When I went to India for my yoga teacher training in a holy city, they don’t serve meat or fish there. I just didn’t eat it for three months, and then it didn’t really make sense to carry on eating fish after that. So I just stopped.

You’ll be performing at Christchurch Music Festival this summer — what can people expect from your set?
They can expect to be taken back in time. There’ll be some classics, might be a little garage thrown in there if they’re lucky. I’ll do a combination of garage and R&B — some of the classic R&B songs, soulful stuff, and then obviously the garage remixes. It’s really hard to please everyone, but I know when I do an R&B set, people are like, “Where’s the garage?” And when I do garage, people say, “I want to hear the R&B originals.” So I’ll try to do a bit of both.

How does performing at boutique festivals compare to larger arena or city shows?
I kind of prefer the boutique festival vibe. There’s just something a little bit more intimate about it. I loved Noon ’til Moon locally a few years ago, for example. That was a really cool event. Different energy. Yeah, I like the boutique festivals.

Are there any songs you especially love performing live because of the audience reaction?
Probably, obviously, You Might Need Somebody. Everyone knows it, everyone’s singing along. So the classics. That’s what people want.

Outside of music, what’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I’m a qualified yoga teacher. And also fully qualified in sound healing. People might be surprised to know that. Also, I’m obsessed with K-dramas — Korean shows. I watch them so much that I can pretty much speak Korean now. [Laughs] Korean shows are really good. They have amazing storylines.

If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self starting out in the industry, what would it be?
Don’t drink. As simple as that. 100%. I think, had I had that one piece of advice — be healthy and don’t drink alcohol — it would have changed my whole life when I was a teenager. I think the pressure of my career — that was my coping mechanism a lot of the time. Had I focused on my health a bit more, things might have been different. But then also, saying that, my journey wouldn’t have been my journey if I hadn’t had those experiences.

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SHOLA’S DOSSIER

Birthplace: Kensal Rise, West London
Current Neighbourhood: Poole
Brunch order: Hash browns. Anything with hash browns.
Coffee: Strong. The strongest. Anything really strong is my favourite coffee.
Cocktail: Non-alcoholic cocktails. I feel like a lot of places are lazy with non-alcoholic options. You can get fake rum, fake gin — make the real cocktail with the alternatives. I like the taste, and it’s nice to hang out with friends who do drink and still have something special.
Current playlist: Mack Keane (new album Wide Eyed), Isaiah Herron, Flee Lord, El Camino — newer rappers that sound like classic 90s hip-hop.
Current projects: Preparing for next year — my first album turns 30! So there’ll be an anniversary tour, re-recorded songs, special anniversary edition, features, merchandise, all of that. UK, Europe, maybe a bit of Japan as well.

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Interviewed by: Joshua Simons
Photos: Samantha Sheldon
Location: Flamingo Café Bar, Poole

You can catch Shola performing at Christchurch Music Festival on Friday 17th July. Click here for more info.