So she took her place on the bus because, she says, she thought to herself: “If you don’t, when do you accept that you’re British?” She smiles. “There are so many things that I am, and I’ve learned over the years to embrace it all and I think that’s where my confidence has come from. Because I know what I am, and I’m proud of it.” Holding On" was released as the next single, followed in November 2000 by a duet single with Tom Jones, called "You Need Love Like I Do". In 1998, Small and M People took some time off to pursue solo projects after The Best of M People was released.

Small took time off to look after her newborn son, and record her second solo album. She occasionally appeared on various TV programs such as Parkinson and Songs of Praise. She also sang three songs at the Tsunami Relief Concert at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. [ citation needed] The collection will also include a brand new cover of Paul Weller’s ‘You Do Something To Me’, ‘Love Me or Not’, and ‘Don’t Look Any Further’, a duet with tenor Alfie Boe.Small’s parents had come to the UK in the early 1960s from Barbados. Her father worked as a bus conductor and was “very domineering”, she says. “He wasn’t a very nice man.” But her mother, who worked for a supermarket, was more loving. Both contributed to her resilience, she says: “Him because of the negative, and my mother because of the total positivity. She made my sister and I feel like we walked on clouds.” It was her mother – who lives with Small in west London now – who counteracted the racism Small experienced at school. “It’s like a flower: you face the light and that’s where you grow. My light was my mother and my sister at home.” Small realised, she says, “You have to find a way to empower yourself. And being shy wasn’t empowering so I had to get over it.”

Elsewhere on the album Small’s enduring hit ‘Proud’ continues to prove timeless, ‘One Night In Heaven’ has a pumping energy that would still be a dancefloor hit today, and ‘Search For The Hero’ sounds absolutely heavenly. ‘Excited’, the fourth single from ‘Northern Soul’, sounds dreamier than the original version with Small’s big voice driving the instrumentation. The only moment on the album I didn’t love was ‘Don’t Look Any Futher’ which features Alfie Boe. For me, it’s not a patch on the original. Small actively supports several charities, such as BeatBullying, the Aiden Cox Foundation, Mencap (for which she performed) and St Luke's Midnight Walk. She attended [ when?] an anti-racism ceremony at 10 Downing Street for "Show Racism The Red Card", which was also attended by Sporting Elite, the prime minister, and others. Small works regularly with Barnardo's; she has also become an ambassador of Asthma UK, as she suffered from asthma as a child. [21] She has also said that she supports "a few charities" including the Rio Ferdinand Foundation and Greenhouse Sports. [22] Personal life [ edit ] Heather Small – The Voice of M People (rescheduled date)". Tyne Theatre & Opera House . Retrieved 23 January 2018.In January 2022, Small appeared on the third series of The Masked Singer as "Chandelier". She was first to be unmasked. [20] Charity work [ edit ]

a b "HEATHER SMALL – THE VOICE OF M PEOPLE RELEASES HER NEW SINGLE 'EXCITED' ". Warner Music. 12 July 2022 . Retrieved 14 July 2022. a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19thed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p.508. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. M People's Heather Small wows Dudley crowds during solo show - in pictures". Express & Star . Retrieved 13 February 2019. Heather is also set to perform as part of The National Lottery’s Big Jubilee Street Party at Manchester’s AO Arena – which will be televised on ITV around the Jubilee Bank Holiday – in honour of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee. Chartverfolgung / SMALL, HEATHER / Single". Musicline.de. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012 . Retrieved 16 November 2010.

In 2018, Small celebrated 25 years of singing. She toured around the UK, [15] [16] celebrating her and M People's music. [17] In 2005, a second M People greatest hits collection, Ultimate Collection, was released. The record featured both the biggest M People hits and two of Small's solo singles. "Proud" was re-released from this album and reached number 33 on the UK Singles Charts. M People reunited and played together on an arena tour in 2005, and they have played a few times each year afterwards. Queer As Folk: The Final Season (Music from the Showtime Original Series)". Apple Music. 23 August 2005 . Retrieved 23 June 2021. Small appeared on The Weakest link Strictly Come Dancing Special. She was the 7th contestant voted off. "The Press Association: Heather Small in Dancing On Wheels". Press Association . Retrieved 29 May 2009.