Tania Doko is on an emotional high. Three-quarters of the way through a national tour, she's fostering a new band (She Says Yes), and a new EP with a stack of songs still to be recorded.

The future is looking bright for the singer/songwriter who made a name for herself fronting that late-nineties radio staple, Bachelor Girl.

But all of that pales into the background when she starts talking about a recent performance. The gig in question was God Save the Queen on the Queen's Birthday Weekend at Chasers nightclub. Doko stole the show with a fully choreographed, pumped-up cover of the Jackson Five's Can You Feel It.

"Look, I'm always up for a good dance party - that's one of my weaknesses," she confesses in her distinct husky tones.

As it turns out, Chasers was her stomping ground as a teenager. It was also where her sister met her then-partner. As Doko puts it, "I've got a soft spot for the venue."
But there were other reasons for agreeing to do the gig.

"I have got a lot of time and a lot of good friends in the gay community," explains Doko. "Without sounding trite, I think we have a connection - probably because I came out of a band that stood for...(pause)...Bachelor Girl's tunes were coming from a very independent, free-spirited place and the gay community saw something in that."

Doko is not shy in expressing her gratitude for the gay community's support. That relationship culminated in a performance in Seriously: Pet Shop Boys Reinterpreted for the Midsumma Festival 2006. There have also been many appearances on JOY and at other community events, including the Out Games earlier this year.

The Bachelor Girl era was a heady ride for the singer and her musical partner James Roche. Their first single, Buses and Trains (1998) kick started a four-year journey that produced two albums, worldwide tours and huge fanbase.

But if there was any animosity in the disbanding of the pop duo, Doko doesn't show it. This current tour, as special guest of Ian Moss and John Stephens, has brought her back to where it all started.

"I haven't done Bachelor Girl's tunes publicly in about four years," she says. "So it's very nostalgic and very special."

More importantly, the tour has also provided a platform for her new songs.
Doko's current band, She Said Yes, was formed last year. Their first EP was launched and promoted with a support slot on Darren Hayes' national tour. She Said Yes comprises Karl Lewis and Irwin Thomas, and more recently DJ/bass player, Rexx Fernandezand. Future projects will include a dance remix of Doko's new material. A cue to other dance party appearances, perhaps.
"I really respect how straight up the gay community can be," she says. "As I get older I get very intolerant of people who aren't true to themselves - there's a lot of crap out there."

by DAREN POPE

Tania Doko's songs are available through itunes