Steps are taking some time out after topping the charts last year with their 25th anniversary album.
The group’s ‘Platinum Collection’ hit No. 1 last summer, bringing together their biggest hits and singles from the group’s latest albums: ‘Tears On The Dancefloor’ (2017), ‘What The Future Holds’ (2020) and ‘What The Future Holds Pt. 2’ (2021).
After several years of recording and touring, the group has already confirmed there are no plans to reunite in the immediate future as they focus on solo projects, with Ian ‘H’ Wakins saying they probably won’t be back together until 2027.
“The next milestone in our discography is our 30th anniversary. That’s in four years,” he told The Sun’s Bizarre column at the Attitude Awards in London. “Look, you’ve had enough of us. We’ve done five albums and six tours in the last six years. So we need a bit of time.”
However, when it comes to eventually regrouping he has big plans for their comeback. “The top of my list would be to do a collab with Kylie,” adds the singer. “We could revisit Better The Devil. We’ve not got there yet.”
Speaking in an exclusive cover feature in the September 2022 issue of RETROPOP, the group looked back on their pop legacy and revealed the significance of their latest milestone.
Watkins said: “When we released our first single, everybody laughed at us. All of the cool cats laughed at us. The record company big-wigs wanted us to go away and then with every single they laughed louder, they laughed harder.
“And then 25 years later, none of those cool cats are around, all those music execs have probably been ditched, and we’re still here.”
And when it comes to the next chapter in Steps’ legacy, Claire Richards maintained the band is living in the moment with their ongoing summer tour – but insisted there’s more to come.
“I think we’ve come to realise since we got back together in 2011 that it is good for us to have little gaps here and there,” she says. “It also reminds people of the whole nostalgia of Steps as well, which is a massive part of what we are. So, we don’t want to keep ramming ourselves down people’s throats.
“Once we’re done with all the summer shows to end this little chapter, we’ll start thinking about the next one…”
