16 June 2013 (released)
16 June 2013
It's been six months since my first chat with Bowie Jane, a late night phone call to suit her Australian timetable. Then she was fresh from court - quietly carrying out her double life of courtroom lawyer and pop siren. Since then Bowie's pop music career has gained momentum, taking her around the UK and across European airwaves and into the clubs.
Her single Luv Bomb has properly launched her music career, with articles in the likes of the Daily Mail and interviews across Australian radio. But as I catch up with Bowie in a bar overlooking London's terrific skyline - she reveals her legal work has continued but with a new edge:
"I returned to Australia because I had to appear in a case which I had already worked on. First day back in court everything was normal and no one said anything - and I thought 'wow this is great'. But the next day I turned up, a police officer grabbed me to say 'you're that singer!' and started asking everyone around if they knew. And they did. Then at the end of the hearing the judge said in front of the whole court that he understood some things had happened since he'd last seen me in court. He said congratulations and smiled. It was a nice touch and at that point I realised my profile was now very different."
It's a lovely story from this energetic and fascinating singer. Her music has a boundless energy that is evident in her character. She enthusiastically talks about music, Australian radio (the prank call scandal) and intriguingly - tennis. Bowie's uncle is an experienced coach, working until recently with Marin Cilic and it was a sport the singer discovered quite late and almost pursued professionally:
"I was 10 when my mum thought I was getting a little obsessed with being a ballerina. I had no coordination for sport at all and couldn't hit the ball at all. But that made me want it more made me want to do it. I eventually played on the satellite tour, travelling around the country and the world. It was tough, those girls are hard, not at all very friendly, incredibly competitive. It's a very lonely place."
Perhaps it underlines just how determined Bowie is that she managed to become competitive in a sport that she hadn't really played before she was 10. In fact she reached the top 10 of Australian players at her age group.
Music has become her passion now though having given up tennis to get a degree and lead this temporary double life as lawyer / singer. We discuss her cheeky video for new single Bad boy, which features her and a giant rabbit and naughty references to celebs who've hit the headlines for the wrong reasons. It's another infectious song that is un-apologetically pop. It's a style Bowie is happy with and she's not in a rush to become more 'credible':
"In Australia I tend to perform with a band, because they do not play my kind of pop on the radio very much. In the UK it's clubs and singing to a backing track, very different. Much more fun in a way. I enjoy the club atmosphere, the crowds are exciting and I can bounce around! I don't know how I'd feel if management asked me to become more indie now."
Whatever musical style Bowie settles for, at the moment she is just enjoying it. Her bright smile never wavers during our chat, even though she's had a tough week, underlined by the fact that meeting me is apparently the highlight! Bad Boy is out in August and club dates continue. Don't expect a return to court anytime soon though.
