by Fleur East says she is responsible for living Tina Turner’s story after giving her west end debut as a deceased icon in Tina The Tina Turner Musical.
The 37-year-old born in London, a former X-factor finalist and strictly speaking, came up with the role of the PowerHouse in the Aldwych Theater at the beginning of this year and announced it with Karis Anderson with Karis Anderson to see the last stage of the show that ends on September 13th.
While Turner lived to see the opening of the musical, it is now devoted to her memory after her death in May 2023.
“It’s incredible, it’s incredible,” she said to The Standard. “After all the rehearsals, only being in one room, it was nice to have a full audience and to hear the reactions and feel the energy. It is incredible.”
East said that the representation of Turner, who overcame a traumatic past to become one of the greatest actors of all time, gave her a new sense of purpose.
“I said from the start that it is an honor to play such a amazing woman,” she said. “But actually they do it now and see the reaction of people … Tina still love so many people. Not only because she was an amazing performer, but because her story is so inspiring.”
She added: “I have such a responsibility to transmit this message because I know that there are many people who may go through something similar to what she did.
“I have heard that many surviving domestic violence came to see the show, and they see Tina as a real inspiring figure. I want to do justice to all of these people.”
The show is not afraid of the darker chapters of Turner’s life, including the physical and emotional abuse, which it endured by her first husband, Ike Turner.
“It is very difficult in some places,” East admits, “but it is important to share this message.”
However, she believes that playing Tina was always in the stars.
In addition to singing one of Turner’s track, while she took part in ITVS The X Factor in 2015, she played a tribute to her in 2022 to her on strictly coming dancing and even nodded her debut album Love, Sax and Flashbacks.
“In one of my songs, the kitchen, is a poetry that loves what love has to do with it?
Despite the performance of high energy shows evening after night, East also juggles hits early with the radio breakfast.
“I only get all the sleep I can – and I think the adrenaline holds me honestly,” she said.
Outside the stage, Fleur also runs with her sister a hair care brand, curl kitchen kitchen-a passion for passion, which you have started during the Lockdown in memory of her late father.
And as if that weren’t hectic enough, on July 26th in Chiswick Park, she will also give Ben and Jerry in the Headliner Park, where she promises a “beautiful decline back to reality” by Tina’s highly towering paragraphs.
“I’m very excited,” she said. “First, Ben and Jerry’s – who is not a fan? Cookie -weig is my favorite, so hopefully it will be superfluous.
“Above all, however, the income from the ticket sales will go to charity organizations that support the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, and that is important to me. I can do what I love and support an amazing thing.”
With regard to the future, she teases a return to music later this year, just in time to a large milestone – a whole decade of the debut single Sax, not to mention her first album, which followed a month later.
“It will be ten years sax in November. It’s crazy to think! Hopefully I’ll do something to mark it – it will be cool.”
Her most important role that she says without hesitation is a mother of the daughter Nova who shares her with her French fashion designer husband Marcel Badiane-Robin.
Although Little Nova is only one year old, it seems to be intended to step into the footsteps of her famous mother, and is already her number one fan.
“Nova loves my vocals,” she said. “She actually sings. She can copy and imitate well – if she sings something, she will sing back.
“She definitely has a musical ear … I think she already has it in her blood.”
What is an “intrusive parent”? “Whatever she wants to do to be honest,” laughed East. “But my parents saw that I had something in me when I was really shy and encouraged myself to perform – if they hadn’t done it, I wouldn’t do what I’m doing now.”
Fleur East will be at the Park Festival on Saturday, July 26th in Chiswick House & Gardens in London, headliner Ben & Jerry’s Sundaes. Take live music, entertainment and unlimited ice cream. The proceeds from ticket sales go to charity partners who work to support refugees and people who are looking for asylum. You can find more information under Viewing www.benjerry.co.uk/sundaes-in-park-2025
