Just announced as one of the special guests on Alex James' Britpop Classical Tour next year, I found chatting with Republica’s iconic frontwoman over Zoom easy as talking to a pal – albeit a rather fabulous one who sells out venues across the country. For all of that, though, what struck me most was the deep compassion, wisdom and generosity of spirit that make Saffron Sprackling a force to be reckoned with…
Saffron, you’ve been in the music industry for 30 years. It’s a fantastic achievement. How did you get started?
I always knew what I wanted to do, so I trained very hard. Growing up, I was singing and dancing and going to classes – ballet and tap – and I trained every day after school. I was very lucky to get a place at the Bush Davis School of Performing Arts (which, back then, was second to the Royal Ballet School) and I was the first girl to get a council grant. Me and my friend John Partridge [the actor, who recently starred in The Code at the Southwark Playhouse] went there, studied together, and made lots of friends that went on to do really great things.
I started out in Starlight Express, because I wanted either to be in Hot Gossip or be a rock star – as you do when you're a punk teenager. Arlene Phillips, to me, was, a legend. I put the skates on (literally) and did a tour of Japan and Australia, and the London West End production at the age of 18. Then I got the lead role of Magenta in the Rocky Horror Show –so much fun, I just love musical theatre.
I got to move to London, and I got into the acid house scene, especially dance music. I was already kind of an indie punk anyway, and then I started writing. I got my first publishing deal myself with Warner Chapell music, and then with Warner Brothers but I thought, ‘I don't want to be a solo artist: I know what I want, I want to be in band’. I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
If you could time travel, what would you go back and tell yourself about the industry?
I learned the business of it very early on, because it is a business, and the most important person in your life is your music lawyer: someone representing you that has your best interests at heart. That doesn't mean a manager, doesn't mean a record label, it means someone separate. It is very important to navigate through any sort of contracts or agreements, especially in in the digital age.
And what do you think 90s Saffron would think of how her life has turned out?
I love what I do. I'm so lucky that people still enjoy what I do. I'm a storyteller. I'm a songstress, I'm a writer. I flourish when I work with people.
I think she'd be quite chuffed, actually! Surprised about the longevity because you know, as women especially, I think we’re probably conditioned to think we’ve [only] got this certain amount of time – but who can measure time, you know? How dare anybody get to say they're going to measure my time? I get to keep going until I decide not to, or I might go in separate direction.
Talking of which, I was very surprised when I learned you had a second career working in mental health. That’s quite the sideways move, what led you to train?
Over a decade ago, I moved from London. My mum cared for disabled children all her life and she was dying of cancer, so I went to care for her. After she passed, I was back in a rural area and…I think we all have different experiences from the pandemic, but for me, I had no music, I was on my own, and suddenly I found myself on the front line in mental health as a critical key worker.
I thought, I'm just going to be me – thinking that no one would know who I am – but boy, did they give me a hard time when I first started training, and that just made me want to do it more. That punk rocker in me! So I started in home care and then I went to dementia disabilities, and then more and more into mental health because it really fascinates me. The forensics of how people behave and how they act, and especially the vulnerable. They need safeguarding and need people that are advocates for them, including people that are non-verbal or selective mute, due to abuse or whatever. So I do a little bit of Makaton (sign language designed to help people with learning or communication difficulties express themselves).
I'm a safeguarder of vulnerable adults and children. I've backed off for the last year or so because of my music, but I really miss it. Being on the front line of covid really made my life – I could have lost my life, as sadly many of my colleagues and the people I cared for did. I learned that the truth is in the small things. Those tiny things, you can either let them or go keep them safe.
Sometimes it feels especially hard to let things go…
I think people should just be open. If you don't open yourself up to things you don't learn, or you can't understand something that is different. It is hard, especially if you're bombarded all the time. Sadly, other people's rage can vent and project on you, which then hurts you, but sometimes it's nothing to do with you.
Words can be far more hurtful than physical damage, I learned that in my mental health training.
More recently your return to music has been triumphant. I know you’ve been playing gigs all summer, including at Big Feastival with Alex James for the Sunday night headliner, Britpop Classical. How did that come about?
Alex James is brilliant. He asked me to do the launch of his amazing Britpop Classical – what an extraordinary thing. We rehearsed at his house in the Cotswolds; me, my friend Phil Daniels (the actor who did Park Life and was in Quadrophenia), Gary Stringer from Reef – a very good friend of mine – and Fran and Dougie from Travis, also friends. So it was like, ‘Oh, we're all back together’. This extraordinary orchestra composed six or seven suites, starting off with the Beatles and The Who: different eras and different generations of bands and music. So, I got to sing Ready to Go with an orchestra on the stage at the Big Feastival.
He's going to take it on the road – do you think you'll be part of that?**
Yeah, I really hope so. I've heard it's happening, so watch this space.
And Republica?
Well, we’ve just finished the festivals and a sold-out UK tour, which is amazing. Next year will be our 30th anniversary and there'll be lots of different events going on. It's quite special to still be in the business 30 years later. For anybody – let alone a mixed-race woman. It's quite something.
It must feel like you live in parallel universes. From key worker on the frontline to Alex James’s house in the Cotswolds. Is there some place where the two meet?
Music to Mental Health, which was my first film documentary, is about how music and art therapy are so important to people's mental health, especially for people who suffer from mental health disorders or issues. Arts, crafts, film, music or dance, they all bring such levels of happiness. It would be wonderful if there was a bit more funding or [more thought] about people's quality of life, because where would we be without music or art?
So, who or what do you listen to?
I listen to everything; modern, punk, classical. There are loads. Check out my good friend Hannah Rose Platt, she has a beautiful, pure tone to her voice, but her lyrics are really dark.
I have to admit, I’m in awe. As well as rockstar Saffron and mental-health worker Saffron there is also a Saffron who sloths around sometimes, just watching telly?
I'm actually quite reclusive. I love animals. I love drama. I'll quite happily sit and watch Poirot or Miss Marple – give me Agatha Christie any day.
** Alex James Britpop Classical tour with special guests including Saffron Sprackling has been officially announced for 2026. For more information and to book tickets, click here: britpopclassical.com
