With her band the Waves, Katrina Leskanich scored one of the most memorable hits of the eighties – Walking on Sunshine.
It smashed its way to high chart positions around the world upon its release, and is still a radio staple.
To date, that song has been broadcast 2,500,000 times in America...and counting.
Katrina's rock credentials include singing onstage with Joey Ramone, figuring on an 80's album by Michael Monroe's Hanoi Rocks, and her band's first album was produced by Scott Litt, whose later work included REM and Nirvana, fact-fans.
In the 90s, Katrina and the Waves scored another success – this time scooping the Eurovision Song Contest title with Love Shine A Light, before Katrina went solo in 2001.
Her new solo album Blisland was released earlier this year.
This Sunday, October 4 Katrina will join Sister Sledge, Rick Astley, The Real Thing and Los Pacaminos for the 80s Lineout event in Campbell Park as part of the Rugby World Cup festivities.
Katrina went On Track with Total MK...
The song that first awakened your musical senses
Lynn Anderson, I Never Promised You A Rose Garden
Physical or digital – how do you take you music?
From the radio, Spotify and downloads on my iPod
The first time you thought 'Music – this is the job for me?'
Watching The Partridge Family and all the fun they had on that bus
Your best on stage memory...
Being joined by Ellie Greenwich onstage to sing Da Doo Ron Ron – this was in 2001 when I had the lead role of Ellie Greenwich in the musical Leader of the Pack, and out of the blue, Ellie took the stage
And the worst gig you've ever done
Supporting the Psychedelic Furs in Ontario and being spat on. I knew it was the fashion and it was meant to be a gesture of appreciation, but it was gross
What made you take up the guitar?
I asked for a guitar from my parents at the age of 14. I think they may have thought it was a whim and I would focus on my studies, but I wanted to sing and it was the perfect way to accompany myself
Which one song by another artist do you wish you had written?
Here You Come Again, written by Barry Marin and Cynthia Weil – another huge hit for Dolly Parton
And one – by yourself – which holds special significance
Sun Coming Upper from my new album Blisland. I celebrated the 30th anniversary of Walking on Sunshine this year, with my own grown up version of part of the journey of my life from then to now
If you could step into the shoes of another musician, living or dead, who would it be and what would you do?
Tina Turner. I would dance and sing like I was made of soul
Are there any current musical influences you might look to?
Primordial sounds which I think is probably the future of music
And any genre of music that you simply can't stand?
Noisy Brazilian gravelly voices
Finally, plug the 80s Lineout event – what can we expect from your set?
It's off the hook energy. I'm back to a four-piece band which reflects the original line-up of Katrina & The Waves.
On stage I match any rugby player with energy and sweat and that includes the flankers and the hookers!
> To book Lineout tickets visit: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/80s-lineout-milton-keynes-04-10-2015/event/37004E91D35468B0
