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By Annika Allen

Essex girls, Hollie O'Brien and Anna Majumdar giggle loudly as they notice we are driving with the car boot open. The Nexx-us, interview was suppose to be in a plush hotel in Tower Bridge but, due to unforeseen circumstances, was now taking place in a silver Corsa. As general chit-chat turned into talk about the group, the Dictaphone went on and the questions began rolling as we cruised through the busy streets of Central London.

"Buy our CD. Buy our CD," chant the duo. Eager for Nexx-us to succeed the twenty-one year olds cry this sentence countless times like they are talking to the record buying public. "Grannys and grandpas too!" shouts Hollie. "My Nan likes it." But the question is, will the record buying public?

Nexx-us' record company, 'BSG Music' describe their music as Hip-Rock, but keen to avoid being pigeon-holed, Anna says, "there's a variety of sounds that run throughout the album but one isn't more prominent then the other. Every song is completely different. We've got ballads, we've got rockier songs, we've got soul and r & b, so you can?t really say that it's Hip-Rock." Hollie nods in agreement as she adds, "I think that the description is only used so that people can put us in a category." Nexx-us' manager, Jackie Rom, who is driving and whom has been silent up until now adds, "It doesn't matter what you age or your choice of music is, there really is something on the album for everyone."

Hollie and Anna have been striving for musical success for over a quarter of their lives, but as children they were more interested in drama. "I appeared in local pantomimes," exclaims Hollie, and they both attended their local stage school Step-by-Step. They weren't friends or even singers at this time, but at 15 their paths crossed again at an audition for a girl group.

"I wasn't a singer until this point although I felt that I had a connection with music, so I thought I'd go to the audition," explains Anna. It was at this event that they both chose to debut their vocal talents to an audience other than their family and friends. "We made it all the way," said Hollie, and the girl group later became Nexx-us. The group found it difficult to think of a name and eventually looked at other artist's albums for inspiration. " I looked at Another Level's album and it was called Nexus and we liked it," says Hollie. Nexx-us means to have a strong bond or link and as the girls giggle together and finish each others sentences you can see that they are extremely close. "We've known each other for six years now and we know each other inside out." "[Hollie's] like my sister, friend and business partner rolled into one," adds Anna.

The girls had to support each other as they had many disappointments along the way. "There were six of us in the band to start with" says Anna reminiscently. "But it wasn't going very well," because their career stayed static. With a tinge of sadness in her voice, Hollie says, "one by one the members started to get frustrated and disappear, but we were the only two to last it out no matter how bad it got. We were determined not to stop."

Despite their let downs they still had faith that they would succeed. Their spirits rose when they became re-acquainted with their old stage schoolteacher three years ago. "We both knew Jackie when we were younger and she's been in the entertainment business for ages. She knows lots of people and was willing to help." The girls started singing at gigs all over the country building up a fan-base. Their talents didn't go unnoticed as last year they signed a record deal with BSG Music. "We work closely with a local radio station called 'Soul City Radio'. One of the DJs there, Mick Jackson, we've known for a couple of years and we've done road shows for him. He knew of Lloyd Garrett at BSG Music and sort of introduced us and it took off from there," explains Hollie, the more talkative of the two. "We didn't want to go with a major label because we still wanted to have creative freedom over what we do. We didn't want to be dictated too and BSG completely understand that and have let us keep our own individuality. They're really behind us."

Nexx-us' vocal sound is comparable to Destiny's Child and they aren't just talented singers; they are also prolific songwriters, with nine of the twelve songs on their debut album, 'Feeling Me', written by them. Not only do they write and sing they are also blessed with good looks. Hollie and Anna are pretty, slim, brunettes with a fashion style a cross between high street and rock chic. Unlike Britney and Christina, Nexx-us don't want to expose as much flesh to sell their music. "We don't see the need to have every part of your body out so that you've got to hold your stomach in and walk straight. As long as we feel comfortable and look good we just throw anything together." With their casual but sexy look, they are bound to have men drooling over them when they become stars. Unfortunately fellas, only Hollie's single. She screams, "I haven't had a boyfriend for God knows how long! So any offers?" When they reach the higher regions of the pop charts, I'm sure the offers will be endless.

Nexx-us' debut album, 'Feelin Me', will be available in March 2004.

www.nexx-us.com