If you don’t know Chelcee Grimes by name, you’ll certainly know some of the songs she’s the mastermind behind. Penning tracks for all our pop faves including Dua Lipa, Kylie and The Saturdays, she’s now stepping up to the mic herself and we couldn’t be happier.

Dropping her debut track “Just Like That”, it’s an R&B-tinged banger that we’re gonna be bopping along to all weekend. And with an album on the horizon too, she’s guaranteed to find her place among pop royalty where she belongs, so we grabbed a quick chat to find out just how she’s getting prepared.

Hey Chelcee, how are you?

I’m great, thank you! Just very, very excited about my single being released!!

Going back to the beginning – when did you first get involved with music?

I got into music quite late actually, I was 15/16. I only really got into it because I took music GCSE because I thought it would be easier than History or Geography and found out I really enjoyed writing songs and creating… My music teacher said I had talent so I just pursued it for a little and things started to happen.

What kind of styles were you into?

I grew up on R&B/Pop music. So Jennifer Lopez, Xtina, Alicia Keys, Beyonce, But as I got a little older I Loved Gwen Stefani, Avril Lavigne, P!nk, Lady GaGa… All the big pop ballsy girls!

I was never really into boybands…

Have you always wanted to do something musical?

No, not really. From the age of seven, I wanted to be a footballer. I played for Liverpool ladies for six years. I play for Fulham now so I’m living my dream doing both.

You’ve penned tracks for Kylie, Dua, and loads more of our faves. How did you first get involved with that?

Well, it’s not the most glamorous story. The truth is, I got dropped (from the same label who signed me back four years later may I add…) But that’s the truth! I got dropped, had to make money and knew I could write, So I started from the bottom – literally – in my bedroom and started writing for people to sing my songs. At first it was hard because I wanted to be the one singing them, on the stage, but eventually it made me learn more about myself, gain more respect in the industry and help me figure out what album I really wanted to make and what nobody else was really doing…

Do you approach writing songs for other people differently to when you write them for yourself?

No, not really. It’s just that when your writing for somebody else, they usually give you a brief to work with so you know what kind of vibe your going for. Also it’s their song so I will always be like “what’s going on in your life” and I try to word it in a cool way…

However, when I get in the studio, I just try to not box myself in and just go with whatever is in my head at that time… and I don’t have to ask anybody anything. It’s just all about what I want, sometimes that’s scarier because it’s all on you.. But sometimes that’s the most wonderful thing.

Speaking of your own music, you’re about to drop your debut single! How are you feeling about its release?

I feel ready. That’s the answer that keeps coming to me when anybody asks. I’m not a kid anymore and I’m not green to this industry. I’ve lived it for a few years now, waiting patiently for my turn and it’s finally here. People will either love or hate it. My single “Just Like That” sounds like nothing on the radio right now. It’s a bit of a risk but that’s what life’s about right??

What made you choose this song to lead with?

It was just one of those songs I wrote in 10 minutes. It was instant, I wasn’t second guessing myself and it makes anyone who listen to it just feel good. I was trying to decide with my record label a song we should put out first to set the tone and when I wrote this I was like “This is it!” It’s very nostalgic and makes me feel like I’m back in early 2000’s, like the track underneath could be something Eminem could spit on back in the day. It’s just like nothing now, and I’m paying homage to all the great pop music from that era.

Can you tell us a bit about the story behind the track?

I wish I could say it was a tear jerker or a real emotional record but the truth is, it’s about having some “alone time” with a loved one, haha. I had been travelling a lot and hadn’t spent much time with the person I was dating… so I was fooling around and started to freestyle over the beat and the whole song just wrote itself.

I looked at the guys in the studio and was like “That’s it, that’s it! JUST LIKE THAT!” And everyone was laughing about it and singing it for the rest of the night and it just felt like a winner!!

What do you want people to take away from the song when they hear it?

I just want people to have a good time, sing it with their friends, send it to their partners if they have one. Basically just make anyone feel good… like how I felt when I wrote it.

What else have you got coming up that we can get excited about? Is there a bigger body of work on the horizon?

Yes, there’s a album. I already have the first six singles mapped out so we’re in good shape. I got signed with half the album already written so, yeah, I’ll keep on writing until the day it’s out, see if I can beat the songs I already have, But as it stands if it was coming out tomorrow I’d be happy. I’ve worked so hard on this for years!

Finally, where do you hope to be this time next year?

I hope I’m still be writing for others and playing football. I hope I can go on tour soon also. So, not much different just hopefully more people around the world will have heard my music…