N-Dubz joined Rebecca Judd on the The Rebecca Judd Show on Apple Music 1 to discuss their return to music. N-Dubz members Dappy, Tulisa and Fazer spoke to Rebecca about making music together again, how their return was planned pre-pandemic and then put on hold, touring again, their favourite UK cities to perform in, and Tulisa and Dappy’s earliest memories as cousins together and how Tulisa nearly drowned jumping off a cliff into the sea.
N-Dubz on how their return to music was planned pre-pandemic before being put on hold...
Tulisa: To be fair it was going to happen before COVID and then COVID happened. And as the whole world stopped, we stopped. The only blessing was that obviously through such hard times, we all had something really positive to look forward to, which not everyone had. So, we were very blessed for that, but it left a long run-up, so there was a lot of anticipation and excitement. So when it finally happened, we were like, ah, because we've been waiting so long for it.
On making music together again…
Dappy: We're family. So when you guys thought we weren't making music, we was. And we are really good at making music together. Just like when it comes to melodies and top line and finding great concepts, we're really good together. Why wouldn't we just put all these songs on a project and bring them out?!
Fazer: And the thing is now that we've already been making a bunch of music beforehand, now that it's actually happened again and we're back, we're taking it more seriously. And now we're going to the studio again. So now we're going to make a bunch of new music again. It was great because individually we're very talented, but something happens when you put three exquisite talents in one room together, three minds merging together, it makes something magical, man. Every time.
Tulisa on her earliest memory of cousin Dappy and how she nearly drowned…
Tulisa: Him convincing me to swim out into the middle of the Mediterranean Sea when we were in Greece with just arm bands and a ring. And he basically was like chicken, so whoever turns back. And we must have been five/six. And it's basically, you have to go to the end, and whoever's the chicken loses. So, neither of us would give up. So we just kept swimming and swimming and swimming. And then our parents saw us miles into the distance. My dad had to jump in and then get us one at a time and bring us back to shore. Because we were going off into the Mediterranean Sea.
Dappy: Then let me tell you another one. The big rock where, I can't remember if I pushed or you jumped?
Tulisa: I jumped. He said: 'It's because you are a female, you can't do it.' And that's when I went, yeah. He knew how to wind me up basically. He knew what to say. We were 15.
Dappy: It was really high. The lion's head [cliff] we call it. And then I jumped. I went back upstairs and then I said, T wouldn't do it. And then she done it. And then she was really upset. She was really upset when she got back.
Tulisa: No, I nearly drowned. So you had to jump in after me and save me.
Dappy: Yeah, I saved her. I jumped in.
On touring as a group again...
Dappy: 24 arenas. It's mad. Four O2s. 17,500 people each one. That's bigger than ever before. We're just grateful. And we're just happy that all these old fans and all these new people are coming to see us. And it's just like one big family now.
On how much new music they have to release…
Fazer: The new music is exciting. I'm excited for people to hear the new music, man. Give us time. We are one record in for the new campaign. And let us go, four/five/six/seven songs in, you're probably going to hear some of the best music you've ever heard from N-Dubz.
On their favourite UK cities for shows…
Tulisa: For me, I love Manchester because my second family's out in Manchester. But I tell you where's always super rowdy and excited is Glasgow.
