CBS Weekend Morning Show with Alita Guillen and Jim Williams. Interview conducted by Alita Guillen.

CBS : Now if you’re heading out to the North Halsted Market Days, you won’t want to miss our guest. She's a new generation of rising stars to look out for. The annual event is lucky enough to have Affe Adel who flew in from England to perform and to join us this morning. Thank you so much for joining us this morning. What brings you to Chicago?

Affe : Well I’m here to perform at the Halsted Street market days event which is tomorrow, when I’ll be on at 3 o’clock on the main stage at the Addison stage.

CBS : And you’ve been to Chicago before?

Affe : Yes, I was here a month or so ago, when I performed at Gay Pride.

CBS : And obviously it was such a good experience you decided to come back

Affe : Absolutely! It was fantastic, so I decided to come back to Chicago.

CBS : Tell us a bit about your music and how long you’ve been performing?

Affe : Well, I’ve been performing for most of my life. I’ve been self-funded, but am looking for a good label to take me forward. My music is very much R&B /Pop, however I’ve added some eastern influences to a number of my songs to spice things up a little.

CBS : Ah excellent! and how do you find the people here respond to your music?

Affe : Fantastic! That’s why I’m back. I’ve got a great fan base here and am looking forward to my performance tomorrow at 3 o’clock. I’ll also be signing CDs afterwards at the Kit Kat club on 3700 North Halsted.

CBS : OK, well everyone is very anxious to hear you perform. you're going to sing a number called “Shine On”, right?

Affe : Yup, that's right.

CBS : OK. Well, let me step out of the way, go ahead

Affe : Thank you very much.

Live Performance of “Shine on”

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Profile interview by Dana Caprina

Gay Chicago : Affe is not your typical Midwestern name. Where were you born?

Affe Adel : I was born in London, England, but my name is Persian and is short for Afsaneh, which means, "fairy tale." My parents are real romantics.

Gay Chicago : When not on the road, where do you live?

Affe Adel : I'm still a home girl and live in London with my family.

Gay Chicago : How old were you when you started singing?

Affe Adel : Well, according to my mother, I put my lungs to good use from the moment I got my butt slapped at birth. Since then, I just use to break into song at every given opportunity, in shops, retaurants and on the streets. And much to my mother's embarrassment, I use to ask people to join in.

Gay Chicago : For anyone who wasn't at your PrideFest performance for the Center on Halsted fund-raiser, how would you describe your music?

Affe Adel : In simple terms, my music is a mixture of R&B/pop with Middle-eastern vibes. However, having said that, and to put it in a more exotic term, it's a fusion of cultures and experiences with a dash of sex appeal. When you listen to my music, you are listening to a story, to a feeling and , most of all, there is a sense of sexy wickedness that you can almost relate to. You'll always come away on a high.

Gay Chicago : What does your father say about you on the road with your six (male) dancers?

Affe Adel : It's not me he's worried about. It's them.

Gay Chicago: The gay men of Chicago want to know, are you bringing the dancers to Market Days?

Affe Adel : Absolutely!

Gay Chicago : I won't tell anyone. Are they gay or straight?

Affe Adel : Ahhh, half the fun is in not telling. You'll just have to come to the show and judge for yourself.

Gay Chicago : You've sung all over Europe. Is there a difference in your gay and straight fans?

Affe Adel: I love all my fans, because without them, I'd still be selling burnt fish and chips in rainy London. I can't cook to save my life. Having said that, my gay fans are so welcoming and unassuming. They'll take me for who I am and not for what they want me to be.

Gay Chicago : Do you write any of your music?

Affe Adel : Yes, I write most, if not all, of my own music. I am a lyricist and have worked with some great songwriters/producers in transferring my ideas into great songs.

Gay Chicago : You're a beautiful, sexy woman. What is your workout routine like? Please tell me it's very hard!

Affe Adel : You know, so many artists say that they just roll out of bed and eat what they want and do no exercise, "I swear, I don't do any exercise. I'm juust lucky I guess." You know ? That it total bull! There is no such thing. You have to work hard to keep fit and healthy, and sometimes we all fall off the health wagon and eat like there was no tomorrow. But that's OK as long as we work out a little longer the next day to make up for it. I get my butt kicked by my family and management every day to go to the gym. It makes life so much easier to have someone else motivate you as well as pushing yourself.

Gay Chicago : I understand you are talking with a number of record labels. Can you tell us about it?

Affe Adel : My management is having initial talks but nothing to report on for the moment. Watch this space, or better still, call the major record labels and tell them that you support me and that you think they should sign me up fast. There is a lot to be said for people power.

Gay Chicago : Until it happens, how can Chicago hear your music?

Affe Adel : Through my web site at www.affeadel.com.

Gay Chicago : Since you have been to Chicago before, do you have any plans while you're in town?

Affe Adel : I simply love Chicago. It really is a home away from home for me. But the one place I hang out the most is one of my favorite restaurants called the Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club on Halsted. It has the best food and the most amazing female impersonators. I've never been anywhere else like it!

Gay Chicago : Finally, Affe, what can we expect from your concert on Market Days?

Affe Adel : Don't expect a simple concert. Expect a show. Expect to be entertained and, as we British say, "to 'ave a jolly good time."

Affe Adel performed during the NorthHalsted Market Days at 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 10th, on the Addison stage.

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