SABZ SO SCANDALOUS!
with FHM UK February 2022 cover star Sabrina Washington / @sabrinawashington
FHM gets scandalous at Stringfellow’s with music’s sexiest star Sabrina Washington 10-page spectacular!
Photography by Veronika Marx / @vsanchorstudio
MUA Rosie Scott / @rosescotthairandmakeup
Hair by Sharon Miller
Location Stringfellow’s
Twenty years after changing the face of British music, Sabrina Washington is back, stronger than ever and determined to conquer the world (again!).
After shooting to international fame at just 22 years old as the lead singer of iconic girl group Mis-Teeq, Sabrina Washington has a lot of strings to her bow. In the group, not only did she showcase her incredible vocals, but also her songwriting prowess by penning many of Mis-Teeq’s biggest hits, including the iconic Scandalous, which went multi-platinum in 25
countries and as a solo artist, has had number 1 hits throughout Europe.
Sabrina has also opened the Queen’s Golden Jubilee with Ricky Martin, survived 22 days in the I’m a Celebrity jungle and last July, became one of the very few artists to have performed at both Wembley Arena and Wembley Stadium, after opening the Challenge Cup Final to over
30,000 roaring rugby fans. It’s fair to say she’s a big deal.
So when we found out Sabrina was up for being our first celebrity cover star since our comeback, we jumped at the chance! See sexy Sabrina as you’ve never seen her before, in this Scandalous 10-page-spectacular, shot at the legendary London hotspot Stringfellow’s…
Hello Sabrina, great to have you in FHM. We still can’t believe this is your first time with us! It’s crazy, it only took twenty years and for FHM to come back from the dead [laughs]! Saving the best till last, right?!
Definitely long overdue! How did you see 2022 in? I came back home on New Year’s Eve, after spending the whole of December up in Peterborough. Since New Year, apart from this photoshoot and interview, I’ve been hibernating and catching up with family and friends!
What were you doing in Peterborough? Not very sexy but I was making my debut in pantomime, as Princess Jasmine in Aladdin. It was magical and I’ve definitely caught the Panto bug, at least it’s not Covid! [Laughs]. I love that it’s for everyone, you have mums; dads; aunties; grandparents and kids all in one place.
Do you hope to get more acting roles? Absolutely, I’m with a great acting agency who are always putting me up for auditions for things. My dream is to do a West End show, something like Rachel Marron in the Bodyguard or Mamma Morton in Chicago. Oh, and be a Bond Girl!
How you haven’t been a Bond Girl yet is so, so, so, scandalous! [laughs] I see what you did there and I agree with you! Funnily enough my friend Lizzie Cundy was a Bond Girl in the 90s, so I’m hoping she’ll put in a good word for me!
So, what else have you been up to lately? I’ve been all over the country performing. As a performer during COVID, none of us had any idea if we’d get to perform again and as things were opening back up during the summer, there was still hesitation, but then gigs came flying in! It was like waiting for a bus, but then 60 turned up. I’ve also been making the finishing touches to my debut album, I’ve been saying for about 10 years, but I promise it’s coming before the summer!
Why the long wait? Life got in the way! Not in a bad way, but we’ve seen even with Covid how things can change in an instant. When you’re making music, for it to be truly good and authentic, it has to represent your life and like life, music can go in so many different directions.
You must be pretty excited about releasing your very first album? Absolutely, but it’s also nerve-wracking! Talking about it right now makes it so real all of a sudden!
You look so confident on stage. Are you a naturally confident person or is this something you have learned? Offstage, I’m usually very quiet and quite shy, which surprises people. But when I’m on stage, I feel free. I’ve heard stories of other artists who’ve had similar experiences, such as the late, great Freddie Mercury and David Bowie. Like them, I also write the majority of my music, so when I’m singing it’s more emotional for me. To me, it’s art and every time I create art, I feel a tide that reminds me of who I am and what I love.
Has your confidence off-stage improved? As time has gone on, it definitely has. I think age does have a lot to do with it, you begin to realize what’s really important. When you’re younger, it’s easier to be misled by comparing yourself or to be selfish. Having the right people around has been extremely helpful for me personally. I’m thankful to have people who support me and allow me to be me.
So you’ve got new music and you’re going into acting, where do you see yourself in 5 years? Has this become a job interview? [laughs] 2026 is a long way away! I’d love to have released several solo albums, tour the world as a solo artist, and have performed in London’s West End. In the meantime, I’m just enjoying life and adventures with my family and friends, as well as working on several great projects that I never thought I’d get to do, like this FHM cover shoot!
Quickfire Questions
Your first album was… Salt n Pepa – Blacks’ Magic. I was and still am surprised my mum actually let me listen to it, because there were some quite rude lyrics at the time for a twelve-year-old me!
The last fashion item you bought… A jumpsuit for an upcoming gig.
You are happiest when… I hug my loved ones or I’m writing or performing.
Your fridge is always full of… Pressed juices, vegetables and fish.
The craziest thing you’ve ever done is… Skydive in Australia for the TV show, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
You deal with stress by… Taking a step back to meditate and if that fails, I’ll call my manager and we’ll put the world to rights!
The best advice you’ve ever received is… F*ck the haters, stay in your magic and to trust myself more!
Want to see more of Sabrina? Then follow her journey on Instagram @sabrinawashington or on Twitter @sabzwashington for all her latest news and story updates!