Dot Music Article

Cleopatra are three sisters from Manchester's Moss Side who are attracting more comparisons with the Jacksons than the Hansons. The teenage girls write their own songs and can sing and dance to them live and, despite their youth, Cleo, Zainam and Yonah pen grown-up lyrics which their record label WEA believes add greatly to their appeal. Their A&R manager Mickey D, who also handles Shola Ama and Mark Morrison, says, "Their age is unique, and their writing is strong, but their main selling point is they are family. They look like the Jackson Five did years ago and will have that kind of appeal to everyone."

Mickey D first saw Cleopatra perform on stage in Manchester in February, days after being handed a video by a mesmerised Mark Morrison who had been given it by one of their managers, Errol Walters. "Their music is the essence of R&B. The songs relate to the world and experiences of life which you can sing about at that age. With songs like Life Ain't Easy and Don't Suffer In Silence, they will relate to a lot of people," adds Mickey D.

At present 15-year-old Cleo takes centre stage in the act with Zainam, 16, and Yonah, 13, singing back vocals to a DAT machine, although they all hope to become lead vocalists. The girls describe their music as Poplet ­ a moniker part taken from the name of the promotions company LET which discovered them. It's a mix of R&B, pop, soul and rock that will appear on the forthcoming single C.L.E.O.P.A.T.R.A. (Gonna Blow It) which they will perform for ILR, at live PAs, on a school tour and at a showcase at London Zoo this Thursday (18). There will be a follow-up single and album in January. "We always wanted to perform and sing since we were little. We're all hoping to be as big as the Spice Girls or Michael Jackson, but right now we are aiming for the Spice Girls," says Cleo.

LET offered to manage Cleopatra after the trio entered and won a North West talent show, To Be The Best, in 1992. "People have said they are the female Jacksons. They are now seasoned performers. Click your fingers and Cleopatra sing. One can only dream of where they are going," says co-manager Tony Lobell.

LET has also brought in former Herman's Hermits and 10CC manager Harvey Lisberg in an advisory role. "I believe in Tony and Errol. They are going to be really big managers. For me it was when I saw Cleopatra live. For their age, they are just amazing. It's just a feeling I've got," he says. And it's clear it's a feeling many in their newly extended family share.