Soundtrack Of My Life: Steps’ Faye Tozer

The first song I remember hearing

The Goons – ‘Ying Tong Song’

“My dad used to play this before I went to bed, I was probably five years old. We had a record player in the corner of our living room, and we were allowed to come down in our pyjamas. And that was the last thing that we were allowed to do before we had to go to sleep. My dad’s always had a thing for radio shows and comedy and that sort of fashion.”

The first song I fell in love with

David Bowie – ‘Let’s Dance’

“I remember watching Top of the Pops and the video came on. It must have done something to me and I just felt that music in my body and my bones, and I was absolutely besotted with that voice. It was just something that I’d never really heard before and really began my passion of absolutely adoring David Bowie and his music.”

The first record I bought

Billy Joel – ‘Uptown Girl’

“I went into Woolworths with my own money and bought this, and my mum questioned me actually. She was like: ‘Do you really want this one? Because this is going to be a moment, the first record you ever buy.’ And I was a huge Billy Joel fan and still am, so I did!”

The first gig I went to

Bananarama – Milton Keynes, circa 1991

“I was invited to go to a Bananarama concert with my then ballet partner, my little fella Douglas Bateman who is now very happily married to his husband. It was such a huge building, I’d never been to an arena concert before and they left such a huge impression. It was so daunting but seeing those three powerful women standing up there with that attitude – it was amazing.”

The song that reminds me of home

Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah – ‘Lake Shore Drive’

“There are different types of home for me at the moment and I’m going to go with this one because I live up in the northeast these days. My family up here is my husband and my son, and we’re huge fans of the Guardians of Galaxy albums. We absolutely love this song in particular and it just reminds me of when we are driving off on holiday together. It’s a real family in the car moment, so that’s the one that always draws me back.”

The song I wish I’d written

Billy Joel – ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’

“It made such a huge impression on me when I was younger, but also it’s just so clever. It stamps a moment in time – obviously delivering history but the production of it’s got a really classic sound which I think still stands up today. My son loves it too – we’re now bashing him with all our favourites!”

The song I do at karaoke

Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer – ‘No More Tears (Enough is Enough)’ / The Weather Girls – ‘It’s Raining Men’

“If I’m with Claire from Steps it’s ‘Enough is Enough’, if I’m on my own it’ll be ‘It’s Raining Men’. It’s such a chick flick moment, isn’t it? If you’re with the girls, what are you gonna do? Crowdpleaser! You don’t want to sing a song that’s too nice, because you need to get everyone in the mood. Karaoke is all about fun, having a few drinks and being merry together.”

The song that makes me want to dance

Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande – ‘Rain On Me’

“At the moment, if I’m getting ready, jumping in the shower or getting up to go and do stuff, it’s this one. We’ve not had a chance to go out in the clubs and do that yet, says the 46-year-old! [When I do] I’ll whack on the whole ‘Chromatica’ album full blast.”

The song I want played at my funeral

Katy Perry – ‘Firework’

“It’s a bit of a depressing question, isn’t it? I mean, I personally would like to be a firework. None of this cremation stuff, none of this burial stuff – just get the ashes and chuck them in the air. I think it needs to be a celebration of life, and not get too down in the dumps. I’ve had a busy one! It’s been a good one, I’m not complaining.”