Read reviews on Peter's work to see how great his music is.
(1)'King of young hearts'(1996)
The music is not all that Peter Andre fans appreciate -- it is also the hunky good looks, reports SHARON McIVER.- LIVE MUSIC
'When Peter Andre takes the stage at Pioneer Stadium on Sunday, the inevitable female hysteria on display will be similar to the Beatlemania of a generation ago.
However, while the Beatles were the teen idols of their time, Peter Andre appeals to an even younger audience, with many fans still a good few years away from reaching their teens.
The English-born 23-year-old does not seem at all bothered by the youthfulness of his fans -- he even seems a little bemused by all the attention.
Having achieved popularity at an early age, he still sees fan adulation as a positive, rather than a negative aspect of his career. Although he had a string of hits in Australia when he was 20, he first realised what it means to be a pop star when he became successful in Britain.
"In Australia we used to laugh at the term pop star," says Andre. "If someone's made it big in Australia and you see them walking down the street, you go 'Oh yeah, that's whoever'. But here in Britain when someone makes it big, that word stands for real."
He goes on to describe one of his first tastes of real fame. "We had one of our cars mobbed when we were driving down from Liverpool. Girls were lying in the middle of the road. I'd never seen things like that in my life before I came here."
Andre's family shifted to Australia when he was 10, and it was there that he began experimenting with music. With Motown artists a heavy influence, his music is soul-based, and he still continues to listen to artists from that genre.
"I like a lot of R 'n' B and soul groups, especially artists like Anita Baker and Luther Vandross," he says. "That's where my heart lies musically."
For his next album -- which he will probably begin recording in February -- he hopes to attract some of the big names in soul. "We're talking to people like Babyface and Quincy Jones," he says. "It will expand my music in a major way, because you 're starting to mess with bigger names which have a more international sound to them."
However, Andre's success is not due only to his music. A good chunk of his appeal lies in the image that the marketing machine projects. In videos and photos he is rarely seen with his shirt on, and his abdominal muscles seem to be almost as famous as his songs.
While preparing for this interview I asked some of his younger fans what sort of things they would like to know about their idol. Several were mainly interested in finding out whether his "abs" were real, while one youngster wanted to know whether he was gay. Andre laughs off both suggestions, although he is obviously perturbed by the nature of the rumours.
"When I start hearing rumours I think, do people actually sit there and think things like that?" He sounds genuinely confused when he asks "How could they think I have implanted abs? I'd never heard of them. I just don't understand how people think that they exist.
"I did kickboxing for many years and I train very hard. Anyone who asks me that, I say, 'Please come and do a half-hour session and ab workout -- and do it every day for three months -- and then see how you feel when people ask whether it's real or not'."
He dispels the gay rumour, and while he is at it any drug rumours that may be circulating -- not that it was mentioned.
"The two things they can't throw on me is drugs and the gay thing," says Andre. "It's like a no-no for both of these. For anyone who is disappointed -- I'm sorry. I have respect for people to choose to do whatever they want, but it just won't happen with me." The next sentence is drawn out: "I'm a very hot-blooded man."
All rumours dealt with, Andre admits that his image and the physical aspect of his show are important, and he hopes that those going to his concert will get as much as they can from it. (The show promises to be a family affair, with Peter's DJ brother Michael on before him.)
Andre seems genuinely appreciative of his fans and he ends the interview with a special message of thanks.
"To all the fans out there, I really appreciate the support you've given us. It's only because of the fans that I'm becoming successful, so a big appreciation to everyone out there." '
--This review taken from The Press - Online
(2)NATURAL ALBUM (1996)
'It is time Peter Andre take front stage. He has become supporting act for Madonna and Bobby Brown when they were performing in Australia. And recently Peter was the opening act for teen scream Boyzone. With the release of his debut UK effort, Natural, Peter Andre is not taking the backseat anymore. He is on the driving seat. Driving very fast up the charts and the hearts of his fans. This album has already spun two successful singles, track one Mysterious Girl and Flava (which went to No 1 in Britain). Most of the songs here are fast and funky numbers but his slow numbers are nice too. Message To My Girl is one fine example. I also like the catchy tune of All I Ever Wanted. Well with good tunes, a great bod and hunky looks, it seems like Peter Andre is the flava of the month.'
--This review taken from Zoom.com by Gordon Kho
(3)NATURAL ALBUM (1997)
'THESE danceable, groovy and sexy songs are from Peter Andre. This Natural album contains 13 tracks. This album is a British release with an additional three bonus tracks. Flava the first track is a lovely number and features the rap of Cee. The title track, Natural is another nice number that is typically Peter Andre. For a little rumba Mysterious Girl is it for jiving and features Bubbler Ranx. I Feel You and You Are are ballads of the heart. All the tracks here are pretty okay ( catchy, smooth and danceable although my favourites are Flava, Mysterious Girl and Get Down On It. Sticking to a proven success formula, the body beautiful sings about love, relationships and more love. Get Natural with Peter Andre - sexy, suave and smoooooth to the bone.'
--This review taken from Zoom.com by Punitha Subramaniam
(4)QX Magazine (1996)
'We know queens like pecs. We also know that queens love a good pop song: combine the two and it's a sure formula for success. So it's not surprising that Peter Andre, the man who can boast both, is one of our favourite boys of 96. Peter's music, like all good pop has an air of energetic frivolity, and more bounce than beat, but you can't argue with the figures- over the past twelve months his record sales have generated at least 25 million pounds.
Peter Andre is without doubt the biggest selling male artist of 1996, with record sales of almost three million units and he has scored a number one single and album within the past few months. His catchy tunes and cute looks are sending teenage girls, and camp queens into a frenzy.
Peter relocated to London last year, after enjoying a string of hits in his home country of Australia. "I felt that I was getting over exposed in Australia, and I wanted to disappear for a while so I came to Britain and started from scratch" Peter explains. He had hoped for success, and ended a long term relationship to pursue his career in London, but didn't imagine that within six months he would be the biggest pop star in Europe. "Everything has happened so fast, it has just been amazing." His debut UK album 'Natural', has gone number one this year, and so has his reggae inspired single 'Flava'. With all those sales Peter's bank balance is looking healthy and he resides in his own apartment in Chelsea. His fellow Australian neighbours, Michael Hutchens and Dannii Minogue, are also two of his closest friends in London- Andre has come a long way since performing on an Australian talent quest, New Faces, where he was subsequently offered a record deal on live television.
Since then, he has devoted his entire life to his music and has been working solidly for four years to be dubbed an 'overnight success'. He has been based in Asia, New Zealand and America and had hits in fourteen countries, picking up a string of awards. Andre toured as support act for his long time idol Bobby Brown, and also warmed up the crowd on Madonna's Girlie Show tour. Obviously he still gets lots of questions about the maternal girl and answers before even being asked: "The first thing I remember was being shocked by how friendly and down to earth she is. She is a powerful woman, but still has such charisma, she's great".
Peter's legion of fag fans was not predictable. The music isn't fluffy pop reminiscent of Take That nor does it have the stereotypical `club anthem' feel, but more an odd blend of reggae dance. Peter is much more a homeboy than pop boy in his baggy pants, and fluro rain coats, and his video's feature heterosexual couples without any hints of campness. He doesn't flirt with the possibility of being gay, or even dance with boys on stage. God, he sings songs like 'Mysterious Girl' so why the appeal? Is it the pecks, the gay friendly attitude..? "I don't know what the appeal is, and I don't want to analyse it too much, I'm just really glad of it" Peter says.
Jeremy Joseph the promoter of G.A.Y., London's biggest gay and lesbian venue, recalls Peter being one of his most memorable acts this year. "When he went on stage my heart sank. Everyone was going "Off ! Off!" I thought what the hell is going on? I have never had an act booed off stage. I looked at Peter and he was smiling, then when he stared to lift his shirt, I was so relieved. The audience just wanted him to get his gear off so they could see his body" Joseph laughs. Indeed, Andre's trademark seems to be that six pack! His well toned body, and Mediterranean complexion is definitely a selling point.
"From the age of twelve I have been going to the gym about three times a week. I used to go with my brothers, but I was so puny I thought everyone would laugh at me so I spent the whole hour and a half doing sit-ups, and then I started noticing these little bumps appearing" Peter laughs. His mood soon turns serious when he recalls the stage he went through, when his physique became his obsession. "I made working out my absolute priority, before my work and my social life, and it's not a good way to live. If I missed out on one exercise that would be all I'd think about." This obsession continued and he believes the continual exertion is what caused his collapse; which is what prevented him playing at Pride last year. He collapsed whilst filming a video clip in the United States, from what doctors told him was a combination of exhaustion, dehydration and food poisoning. His doctor added that any further exertion could have been fatal. "It's made me re-think things, I'm not worried if I miss my work outs now, I just want to be healthy."
When Peter was forced to pull out of Pride, the London tabloids went into a frenzy, and the rumour mill was running overtime. Papers reported, completely inaccurately that Peter couldn't play at Pride because he was HIV positive. "I was upset by it, not for myself but for people who do have HIV, it is an insult to anyone who is suffering from it. The press are so biasé- they trivialised something that shouldn't be trivialised." he says adamantly. Surprisingly there is still continual speculation in the tabloid press about Peter's sexuality, despite his various romantic interests, which is perhaps more wishful thinking from gay journalists that anything else. "To me there are no barriers, and that's the way it should be. I am straight and the gay community know that and they still fully support me, which is something I really appreciate."
Aw what a guy!'
--This review taken from QX Magazine
(5)TIME ALBUM (1997)
'Peter Andre's forthcoming album Time is an emphatic statement that he wants to be recognised as more than just a six-pack with vocal chords. The soul and R&B-led Time, which is released just over a year after Andre's debut Natural, has a more mature feel qualified by a string of top-name collaborations. Artists and producers who will ease Andre's passage to wider acceptance include Fugees, Coolio and Montell Jordan. And not only have they worked with Andre on Time but they are asking for his help on their own projects. Jordan, who first picked up on Andre after seeing one of his videos, says, "I was walking through a record company in LA and they were playing Peter's Mysterious Girl video. I was like 'Wow. Who is he?' I said I'd like to work with him, and apparently he was anxious to work with me as well. He's a great artist, he's a perfectionist, and he's got loads of energy. He brings a different element to the music - he makes it come alive."
Andre says Jordan's involvement has had a knock-on effect with other US artists. He says, "We were doing some writing in Montell's studio when a guy called up and Montell said, 'Hey, you gotta get down here and listen to this'. "That guy happened to be Coolio. Then other people heard about what we were doing and became interested, and everything kind of went from there." Jordan wrote and produced Andre's number three hit single and the first off the album, All About Us, as well as co-writing and producing what is due to be the third single All Night, All Right with Coolio, which will be released in January.
Prior to the album being released on November 17, there will be a single, Lonely, out on October 27. The Refugee Camp Allstars also came on board to produce Andre's cover of the Smoky Robinson classic Tracks Of My Tears, while Brian McKnight (who has produced Quincy Jones and Boyz II Men) co-wrote and produced several other tracks. But all this does not mean Andre will be leaving behind the loyal following who adored his infectious Top 10 pop hits such as Flava, I Feel You (which both debuted at number one), and Mysterious Girl, which was the biggest selling independent single of 1996, having shifted 2.5m copies. Andre may always have been heavily influenced by soul artists such as Luther Vandross and George Benson, but Time still features its fair share of the kind of poppy, uptempo tracks that helped Natural sell 3m copies around the world.
As Mushroom Records' A&R director and product manager Dean Stratton says, "The idea is to move Peter on to a wider audience but we're not neglecting the fans that are already there. The album will still feature pop stuff, but it will show a new side to Peter. It's a natural progression." Andre's manager Sue Harris adds, "If you keep targeting a teenage audience, ultimately your career is limited. If an artist wants a long career - which Peter does then they need to be allowed to develop and mature." Mushroom's marketing department will be crucial in achieving the crossover and maximising the fan base in the six-week run-up to Christmas.
As well as despatching mail shots to all fan club members during the first two weeks, it will be running extensive advertising in the teen press. Weeks three, four and five will feature TV and radio ads. Mushroom's general manager Wez says, "TV-wise, Peter will be appearing on the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party and the Children's TV Awards, and as many other appearances as we can get. "The idea is to release the single All Night, All Right in the new year, and to get as much promotion as possible in December to push it through." The new year, then, will be the time we really see the emergence of the new, sleeker Andre.'
--This review taken from Dotmusic by Jordan Paramon
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