Rachel Stevens wants to bring S Club 7’s ‘positive’ lyrics to a new generation

S Club 7’s Rachel Stevens said it is a “special thing” to be bringing back the group’s “joyful and positive” lyrics to a new generation given the “world right now”.

The seven-piece pop group, who achieved four UK number one songs including Bring It All Back, Don’t Stop Movin’ and Never Had A Dream Come True, are celebrating their 25th anniversary with a UK and Ireland arena tour later this year.

All original seven members – Stevens, Bradley McIntosh, Hannah Spearritt, Jo O’Meara, Jon Lee, Paul Cattermole and Tina Barrett – will be back on the road together from October.

During a press conference in London hosted by radio DJ Scott Mills, 44-year-old Stevens said: “I think it was a resounding yes from everyone. I think everyone is in such a brilliant place.

“I think where we are in the world right now, we just want to get up there and bring some joy and positivity.

“I can speak for myself – my kids listen to our music – I think our lyrics and everything are so joyful and so positive and to bring that back to kids today and that nostalgia is such a special thing to be a part of.”

When asked what her two children thought when seeing footage of her performing in the band, she said: “(They think I’m) just so uncool.

“Actually, on the way to school one day I remember Don’t Stop Movin’ came on and they were so excited, they were like ‘wind down the windows’.”

On the same topic, bandmate McIntosh told Mills it would be “great” to bring S Club 7’s music to a “younger generation”.

Meanwhile, Lee, who has performed in West End shows including Les Miserables and Jersey Boys since S Club 7, said: “There’s lots of mums and dads in the group now so it’s not just a new generation for other people, but for our kids and nephews and nieces as well who are really, really excited seeing their uncle and mums and dads up on stage, it’s going to be fantastic.”

Group member Barrett, who joked the S Club babies could be the tour’s support act, said: “My six-year-old loves (the S Club 7 song) Reach. He learned it at school and he does the dance routine and everything. It’s just the cutest.”

Stevens, who confirmed the group have set up a new WhatsApp group called S Clubbers, said that R&B group Flo, who won the Brit Award for rising star this year, would be an “amazing” support act on the reunion tour.

She added: “We are open to any opportunity, I think to give new acts would be a lovely thing to give them that sort of stage, I think we’re just open.”

Barrett added: “I really like Wet Leg, who I saw at the Brit Awards – two girls from the Isle of Wight, I really like their vibe. Trip-hop meets folk, good sound.”

O’Meara, who appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2007, said pop groups Little Mix and BTS had emulated the “vibe” of S Club 7.

She said: “I think a lot of people took a lot from S Club and have done their own interpretations of it.”

During their five years together the group produced four studio albums with their debut, S Club, launching in 1999. They followed this up with the chart-topper 7 in 2000, Sunshine in 2001 and Seeing Double in 2002.

The group also cemented their fame after starring in their own BBC TV series Miami 7 and LA 7.

On Tuesday, Lee revealed that the TV series would “almost definitely” be landing on a streaming network, noting that talks had taken place.

The 40-year-old also confirmed the seven had not ruled out making new music but are waiting to see how the tour goes.

The band, who were originally created by former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller in 1998, went their separate ways in 2003, briefly reuniting in 2014 to perform a medley of their best-known songs for the BBC Children In Need appeal.

The S Club 7 reunion tour will open its 11 dates on October 13 in Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena before continuing to cities including Dublin, Glasgow, Newcastle and Manchester.

The O2 in London will be the last stop on the tour on October 28.