My 80s Playlist: Sinitta chooses her favourite 80s tracks from Kylie Minogue to Cameo

Virgin Radio

13 Jan 2023, 15:16

When it comes to the pop scene in the 1980s, there wasn’t anyone quite like Sinitta. 

From bursting onto the scene on the West End, to having a number of massive hits, including So Macho, Toy Boy and Cross My Broken Heart, if anyone knows anything about making some classic 80s tunes, it’s Sinitta. 

The singer, actress and TV star had everyone hooked with her pop sound and style, and made her way through the decade with five top 20 hits as Simon Cowell’s first recording artist of his career. 

This week, Sinitta took a trip up to the Top of the Tower to Virgin Radio 80s Plus, and divulged her favourite tunes of the decade to host Steve Denyer. 

Here is Sinitta's 80s Playlist:

Kylie Minogue - Better The Devil You Know

Better The Devil You Know by another 80s icon, Kylie Minogue, was her lead single from third album, Rhythm of Love, released in 1990. 

Said to be about the Aussie star’s decision to leave Neighbours and her relationship with the late Michael Hutchence, the single landed at number two in the UK charts, but is one of Kylie’s most memorable hits. 

For Sinitta, the track is full of nostalgia for that moment in time. She explained: “When we were all like Stock Aitken Waterman and The Hit Factory kids, we were kind of ruling. And I mean, just good times. What you kind of saw in the videos is what was happening in our real lives, because that's how Mike [Stock], Matt [Aitken] and Pete [Waterman], that’s how they used to write our songs. It was all based on like what did you do last weekend? Which clubs did you go to? Who was there? What were you wearing? We got to sort of reenact it all in the videos. So this was a very exciting time. This was Kylie, new boyfriend, all grown up, it’s a pretty great track.” 

Transvision Vamp - Baby I Don’t Care

English pop rockers Transvision Vamp had their highest-charting single with punky single Baby I Don’t Care.

It landed in number three in the UK charts, and Sinitta can still picture how lead singer Wendy James brought a whole new flavour of pop music to the scene. 

The singer shared: “It's really funny because we always used to joke that the Spice Girls were made up of the pop star girls of the 80s. So, you know, Kylie, Wendy [James] Betty boo. Me…and Sonia. If you put us all together, you'd get the Spice Girls. So yeah, Wendy James. She was kind of like…Kylie was, the sort of pop chick. 

“Wendy was the rock chick, the Baby of our generation. She just wore amazing things. Again, she had the eyeliner and she had the little baby pink basques and she wore fishnet tights. They would also pit us against each other as rivals, but actually, we all got on well, behind the scenes.”

Terence ‘Trent’ D’Arby - Sign Your Name

Singer Terence ‘Trent’ D’Arby, now known as Sananda Maitreya, released Sign Your Name in 1987 and narrowly missed the top spot in the UK charts upon release. 

Despite this, it became one of his most beloved singles, with Sinitta recalling his undeniably smooth image that went along with his soulful sound. 

She said: “Terence Trent D’Arby was like… he had gorgeous hair. I mean, he was just beautiful, with a husky voice. He was like Lenny Kravitz and Seal. If they had a love child, it would be Trerence.”

WHAM! - Everything She Wants

Taken from their 1984 album Make It Big, Everything She Wants by pop duo Wham! was released alongside another mega-hit from George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley - Last Christmas. 

With the success of their defining festive tune, Everything She Wants found some love once the tinsel was packed away, reaching number two in the UK charts. 

For Sinitta, discussing the late, great George reminded the pop star about her endless crush on the legendary singer. 

She explained: “I was in love with George, like, truly, deeply, madly, crazily in love with George. And I always wanted to be in Wham! And Simon kept saying to me, ‘you can't be in Wham! because you're a pop star.’ Even though I'd already had hit records. I was like, ‘I just want to be in there.’ It was so cool, wasn’t it?. 

“I was crazy about him [George] And I used to ask him out regularly. We used to all go out dancing together and everything. And I would send him messages…just trying to convince him that he should date me. And, you know, he turned out to be gay.”

Madonna - Into The Groove 

Madonna’s 1985 hit Into The Groove featured in her movie, Desperately Seeking Susan, and was a chart topper in the UK. 

Even with her tremendous success in the decades that followed, Into The Groove remains Madonna’s biggest-selling single, and according to Sinitta, the singer-turned-actress wasn’t just the queen of pop.

Sinitta shared: “Madonna was...the queen of rebellion, pop self-expression of feminism. That girls can say what they want, do what they want, wear what they want. She was a bit sacrilegious, even brought up with a very strict religious upbringing, which I'd had as well at boarding school. 

“She just turned everything on its head and made you feel like no matter how you've been brought up, or what you've been taught, that actually what you really think and feel inside is who you are and who you're allowed to be.”

Janet Jackson - When I Think Of You

Janet Jackson was about to become a bona fide 80s star by the time When I Think of You came out in 1986. 

Becoming her first US number one, the upbeat track helped cement Janet’s legacy outside of her famous family, and that left a lasting impression on Sinitta.

She told host Steve: “[Janet] is just so beautiful. Just a woman taking control of her life and using her music to express it. I found her very inspiring, and music was catchy. She had that sweet sort of lullaby voice. But her routines were super fierce.”

Luther Vandross - Never Too Much 

To just prove how truly talented the late Luther Vandross was, the unmistakable Never Too Much was his very first single, released in 1981.

The earworm won several awards, including two Grammys, and Sinitta said she was always impressed with Luther’s ability to attract listeners from across generations.

“It was so cool,” she said: “Because back then, Luther would have been considered… like our parents loved Luther. I'm sure your parents did as well, but he was one of those artists that all generations…we all sang a song. To this day, you hear the first three notes of a Luther track and everybody's on their feet."

Cameo - Word Up

Funk classic Word Up! released by Cameo in 1986 was another tune to fill up a dance floor. 

The track became the group’s most memorable singles, coming in at number three in the UK charts,  and was part of their twelfth studio album of the same name. 

On the impressive tune, and iconic fashion choices in the music video, Sinitta said: “It was just such a cool, cool song. I think at the time, we all prided ourselves if we knew the words, and he wore that red codpiece like Superman.”

Irene Cara - Fame 

It’s difficult to think about the 80s without drawing on Irene Cara’s 1980 hit, Fame, which featured in the film and TV series. 

Cara played Coco Hernandez in the original film, and the theme tune was her debut single as a recording artist. 

For Sinitta, not only was Fame an undeniable hit, but Cara, who passed away in 2022, was a massive source of inspiration. 

She shared: “I was a trained dancer. I probably wanted to be Coco in Fame. I think every little Black girl did and she was just phenomenal. 

“She was a tremendous actress as well. I followed her career. I really would have loved to play all of the roles that she played. I'm so sorry we lost her. I still don't know the details of what happened or anything, but I was genuinely devastated to hear that we lost her because she was just such a great talent and a huge inspiration growing up.”

Bananarama - Venus 

Legendary pop band Bananarama covered Venus by Dutch rock band Shocking Blue in 1986, and music scene was never the same. 

Their take on the single landed at number one in the US, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, and it is a constant favourite when it comes to the best 80s tunes. 

For Sinitta, she enjoyed Bananarama for the same reason as most of their fans - they were, in her words, “naughty and irreverent.”

She told Steve: “The harmonies and their weird little sort of kooky dances, I didn't know what was going on, but whatever they were doing, I always wanted to be part of it. When we'd be out somewhere, if they were there, if there was a party and you were there, you kind of feel like ‘oh, we're really cool,’ because Bananarama are here.”

You can listen to Virgin Radio 80 Plus HERE. You can also listen on DAB+ in London and Central Scotland and on smart speakers across the UK, as well as via the Virgin Radio UK app.