Irish beauties Bellefire are all set for an imminent return to the pop scene, almost two years since they were dropped by record label Virgin.

The trio were not deterred by the heafty blow and continued in the fight towards pop stardom, taking inspiration and advice from idols such as U2’s Bono. Eventually taken on EastWest records, who sport a whole line of top names such as The Darkness, David Gray and Blazin Squad, the talented singers have put all their efforts into writing and recording their own material ready for a second shot.

First single ‘Say Something Anyway’, already having enjoyed it’s first national UK radio play, is set for release early April in the UK, with Ireland running two weeks prior. An album ‘Spin the Wheel’ will follow soon afterwards.

www.bellefiremusic.com for more information.

Bellefire’s single ‘Say Something Anyway’ is now available on GWR’s Core Control programme 7pm-10pm weeknights. You can vote to hear the song by visiting http://www.corecontrol.co.uk/, and clicking on Control / Take Control. Alternatively, you can text 82122.

If your local radio station doesn’t have Core Control, check out Sky Digital 871 or go to www.musicradio.com and listen to any of the radio stations there.

If you haven’t already heard this fantastic new single, this is your chance! Simply get voting!

For those of us who thought that the girls from Bellefire were finished since Virgin gave them the axe, citing poor record sales and chart positions, another record label have snapped them up apparently.

East West Records are giving the girls another chance and so expect to hear more stuff from them sometime in 2003. A new official website for Bellefire will be online too.

Right now, the girls, who have been busy writing their new offerings and constantly working at the studios, are having a joyous Christmas in Ireland with their loved ones.

Pretty Irish ladyband Bellefire have been booked to play at next month’s Fleadh festival in London, despite reports a few days back that seem to suggest that their label has dropped them.

The band’s record company, Virgin, refused to comment the other day on reports that the band had been dropped after their new single, ‘All I Want Is You’, reached No 15 in the charts recently, a chart position that isn’t exactly befitting when it comes to the Irish girls since they haven’t exactly managed to score themselves a Top 5 position with their previous song.

Bellefire will be appearing on the same stage as Fleadh festival favourites like the Pogues, Joe Strummer, fellow Irish acts Paul Brady, Paul Kelly and Mary Coughlan as well as recent additions, Cornershop.

The Fleadh takes place at London’s Finsbury Park on 8 June. Tickets cost GBP32.50 and are available from the credit card hotline on: 08701 500044

Bellefire have exclusively revealed recently that their forthcoming release, a cover of a U2 song, was never intended as a single.

Bellefire’s new single ‘All I Want Is You’ sees a 29 April release, but was never originally intended for release.

Cathy Newell told us how the cover came about. She said, ‘We’re all big U2 fans and two years ago when we got together, we went into the studio for the first time and wanted to pick a song we all loved and could put harmonies to.’

‘We did a rough demo and got great feedback from our record company but also from the U2 lads themselves,’ added 19-year-old Cathy.

U2 have praised the version of the song, originally a hit for the Irish supergroup in 1989. ‘We were at an award ceremony three weeks ago and U2 came over and congratulated us. That was amazing,’ said bandmate Tara Lee.

It was only that praise that convinced both the band and their label Virgin to release the cover as a single.

It was never meant to be a single but when Bono said it was good enough for him it was good enough for us,’ revealed Cathy. ‘Yeah. They said they loved hearing women sing their songs,’ added Kelly Kilfeather.

Bellefire’s sensationalised authorized cybersite can be viewed at: www.bellefire.co.uk