I DON'T drink or smoke or do any drugs," says Heather Small, the voice of M People. "My high comes from singing. That's what makes me feel happy."

Feeling happy is what Heather's music is all about -- both for herself and her fans.

Her deep, distinctive vocals became one of the most life-enhancing musical forces of the '90s, thanks to a succession of powerful tracks like Search for the Hero, Movin' On Up, One Night in Heaven and How Can I Love You More?

Surprising then, that for one whose voice is so indelibly tied to such strong, inspirational anthems, Heather considers herself to be very shy -- so shy she kept her talent for singing a complete secret throughout her adolescent years.

She said: "I never sang in school. I did all my singing outside school and never told anyone.

"I didn't sing in front of anyone until I joined my first band. When we released our first single, everyone said: 'Who's that girl?' It must have seemed like I came from nowhere."

The more she sang, the more Heather overcame her fears.

"Part of me is quite self-conscious," she said. "But the desire to sing and the feeling it gave me helped to over-ride that shyness."

Heather's ability, of course, provoked widespread acclaim, taking her from her first band Hothouse straight into Manchester-based M People, which went on to sell over five million records. However, West London-born Heather finds it impossible to stand still, so she has taken some time out from the band to take her career in a startlingly different direction.

She said: "As a band, we've been together for almost 10 years and in that time I haven't done anything outside the band. My son James was born six years ago and within three months of his birth I was back on the road again.

"Looking back, I don't know how I did it. But it can be quite a selfish lifestyle. I wanted to be there when he was growing up, so I decided to try something different."

Something different involves appearances at the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester and the Southport Jazz Festival later this month as Heather performs her favourite hits from singers as diverse as Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Abba.

"It's a tribute to the people and the songs that made me want to sing," she explained. "I'm not very modern, to tell the truth, and it's very different to what people are used to hearing me sing. That in itself was a challenge. Whether I will be able to do it is another question. It's one thing to say you love these songs, but to translate these works so it means something to an audience is something else. Let's hope nobody comes with a pile of tomatoes!"

Heather has also been challenging herself by delving more into songwriting, producing her first solo album Proud. Although it wasn't a huge commercial success, Heather's confidence blossomed from writing the songs.

Challenge is one word that crops up in Heather's conversation a lot. In fact, she sees every single song she performs as a test of her abilities.

"I still get nervous," she said. "I always think to myself -- this is my work, that I'll be judged on.

"If people spend money to come and see me, I think they deserve the best I can give.

"If live was about singing, people would listen to CDs. Live is so much more. I want people to go away with the whole experience and feel glad they left the CD at home.

"Live is my forte, for all my nerves. I get this feeling I could fly, or sing any note. It's not true, of course, it's just that feeling of freedom."

Although M People's split is, by all accounts, temporary, Heather doesn't know when they will next perform or record together.

"We've been talking, but there are no concrete plans," she said.

For now, she is looking forward to performing on the road, alongside Snake Davis, at the Southport Festival.

She said: "When you perform to an audience outside, it's something quite liberating. It's quite difficult for me to listen to recordings of myself. Sometimes I hear my voice and think: 'Ooh, it's deep!'

"When I sing live, I reclaim my songs. I find all these different nuances that make it that bit more exciting again."

Heather will perform at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall on June 16 (call 0161 9079000 for tickets) and the Southport Jazz Festival on June 21. Call (01704) 395511 for details and a guide.