Louise Nurding left Eternal in June to embark on a solo career. It was the toughest decision of her life, but it seems to have been the right one. Great things await Louise, but why is she still so nervous about everything? We just had to find out...

Louise is late. Louise is never late, according to her press officer. Louise is always on time. It must be the traffic.

Twenty minutes later, Louise walks through the door; a minute figure in baggy tracksuit. She smiles and apologises. It was the traffic - she'd had to drive from her Sussex home just when everyone else had decided to take to the roads as well. She smiles again. Let's face it - with a smile like that, excuses are unnecessary. When she smiles, it's as if she comes alive... it suddenly strikes you how extremely beautiful she really is. Her smile stops men dead in their tracks, and the reason is that Louise is one of those rare people who is completely unaware of how attractive she is.

With a successful solo career on the horizon she seems more confident and a lot happier than ever. It could have been a strange thing to see her on her own but it turned out to be perfectly natural. And, what's more, she's as friendly as ever and still has the ability to natter on for hours about anything - which is handy really, because that's exactly what we want to do...

Last time Smash Hits saw you, it was in the middle of the Eternal tour, but a lot has changed since then...
God, that feels like two years ago.

It was last November!
(Looks stunned) Really?! Yeah, things have changed. Lots and lots of things. It's really different, really strange. It's really nice having the freedom. Oh, hang on, I'm going to cough. (Has small coughing fit, waving around her hands in distress, displaying pale blue nail varnish, and grins when she catches sight of her nails) Oh, yeah. (Betwen coughs) I did that one night last week, when I got really bored. (Finally stops coughing). Yes, so lots has changed. In fact it was not long after that I decided to leave Eternal.

What made you decide that it really wasn't working?
(Sighs) Everybody expects you to be happy because you're successful and you're earning money, but it's really not a good enough reason to stay doing something you don't want to do. I wasn't happy and I wasn't giving it my all, and the other girls were. Simple as that.

But was there any one thing that forced you to make the decision?
(Shrugs) No, it just felt wrong. It got to the stage when the unhappines took over, and I wanted a chance to do something different. (Quite sadly) But I do miss the girls and there's no bad feeling. A lot of people say to me, "were you kicked out?" or "was it racial tension?" but that was never a problem. Basically, different people want different things.

So what was your last day like?
It was so sad, because it was at the Silver Clef Awards. (June 23 this year - also Robbie's last public appearance with Take That) We all had to go up to get an award, and everyone knew I was leaving - among ourselves. I can remember Easther held my hand when we went up there. I was thinking, "I can't do it, I can't leave,". But something inside had made that decision and I had to do it. Now people say it was because I was too big for my boots, but I just wanted my freedom.

How do you think you've changed over the last few months?
As a person I've had to become slightly more my own boss because I haven't got other people to rely on. I used to be able to sit back and know that Vernie would sort eveything out, whereas now I have to do everything.

What was it like being on your own in the studio for the first time?
The strangest thing was hearing my voice on its own. I was like "where's Easther gone?". (Laughs) I'm getting used to it now, but I do miss them.

Are you quite optimistic about the future?
I'm so scared (Grins) I've never been so nervous. Some mornings I wake up and think 'what have I done'. Then other mornings I wake up and think, 'yeah, come on Lou, you've got this chance, you've got to take it.' I am so nervous - but with excitement.

A lot of people say you're going to be the British Kylie...
Ummm. Well, I don't like to say, (puts on real boasting-type voice) "I'm going to be the British Kylie!". But at the end of the day I'm not going to look that different. I'm not looking to go amazingly sexy. It's not me, it's not in my nature. We all like to look sexy sometimes, but maybe I'll try and do it in a bit of a funky or harder way.

Would you consider doing anything other than singing?
(Enthusiastically) Yeah, but not just yet. Singing is what's important to me at the moment, that's what I've got to establish. With Eternal we were always guaranteed a hit. It was like, "we're in Eternal, the song will go in the charts". And I think now I"ve really got to work to prove myself and get an album done. Who knows, in a few years time... you know, I always wanted to be a Bond girl - the guns and fighting kind. I'd love to do that!

Who's your best friend now?
Still the same as school. A girl called Sophie, who I've known for years and years. I really miss her now, because she works in France. I have a group of five or six friends who are very close. They stuck by me when I was in Eternal and when I decided to leave. They see me as me, I was worried I'd start clinging on to people when I left, but I'm more in control now. And the girls are still my friends, particularly Kéllé.

Has Dan (Ex-Worlds Apart member and sometimes O-Zone presenter Dan Bowyer, who was rumoured at one point to have moved in with Louise) been supportive as well?
I don't see Dan as much as I used to. (Grins and avoids the question). But everybody, all my friends, all my family have been really supportive.

I just picked out Dan as he was with you in the European tour...
(Nodding in agreement) Yeah, yeah. He's been great. (Chooses her words carefully). You know, you can talk to your close friends, and he's a close friend.

We talked to a few pop stars about you, and they all said they really fancied you but they wouldn't have a chance because you've got a boyfriend...
(Laughs) They shouldn't worry about that. (Surprised) They all said I've got a boyfriend?

Yeah!
You know, its like this thing now that I read in the papers that I'm in a serious relationship, and it's just not true. (Getting quite aggresive) I see guys. I go out for dates and stuff, but nothing serious. I'm not engaged or anything! You know, I think it would be good to have something like Justine and Damon have. They seem to have things worked out. It must be good going out with someone who's in the business - to understand what it's like. It's good that they're so open with the press as well, they seem quite happy to talk about their relationship, and you've just got to be like that. (Grins) But I'm a long way from that at the moment.

Her press officer hovers - a record company meeting awaits; Louise is never late. But as she walks out the door, still smiling, you know that if she was, they'd forgive her.

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