Steps’ Claire Richards has announced her first ever solo tour.
The ‘Deeper Shade of Blue’ hitmaker recently unveiled her debut solo album ‘My Wildest Dreams’, and she is now set to promote the record – which includes the lead single ‘On My Own’ – with an intimate run of dates in the UK in December, including stops in Glasgow, Birmingham and Liverpool, before wrapping at London’s Union Chapel on December 6.
Claire said: "I can’t actually believe I’m going out on my first ever solo tour – making the ‘My Wildest Dreams’ album has been such an incredible experience and every song means something very special to me. I can’t wait to head out on the road and share them with everyone!"
The 40-year-old singer has signed a deal with Sony records and released debut single ‘On My Own’ last week, with the record set to follow on November 2.
Claire recently insisted that her solo music does not mean the end for Steps and she is firmly committed to the group and her bandmates; Ian ‘H’ Watkins, Lee Latchford-Evans, Lisa Scott-Lee and Fay Tozer.
She said: "I don’t feel this is going to take anything away from Steps, it’s very much an entity in itself.
"No single one of us is ever going to be bigger than Steps as a whole, I don’t think.
"Everybody’s been aware from the very start that this was my plan for the gap during albums.
It’s actually been very good this time because there hasn’t been the shock.
"I don’t feel like there’s anything that can damage that now, we’re in such a good place.
"We’ve been through our ups and downs and our difficulties but I don’t think that’s there anymore.
"And we’re all old enough and ugly enough to realise now that the only way to make it work is to be honest and be up front about everything."
Claire Richards’ 2018 UK tour dates are as follows:
2 Dec 2018 – Glasgow St Lukes
3 Dec 2018 – Birmingham Town Hall
4 Dec 2018 – Liverpool St Georges Hall Concert Hall
6 Dec 2018 – London Union Chapel