Lisa Maffia on So Solid Crew & Solo Fame

Lisa Maffia is a singer-songwriter, musician, rapper, actress, fashion designer, model and presenter, who originally came to the public's attention as the main female member of So Solid Crew. Here she is in conversation with Mo Gilligan for his 'The Beginning, Middle and End' interview series. In the chat they talk about her time as part of So Solid Crew, being projected into the mainstream with hits like '21 Seconds..' and her solo career, and work thereafter.

Her new book 'Lisa Maffia: First Lady - Survival, Self-Discovery and Life in So Solid Crew' is out now and available here. 

Lisa Maffia's memoir First Lady offers a rare glimpse into the life of the groundbreaking woman who went from So Solid Crew to the voice of a generation. In her first book she candidly reflects on her struggles with identity, early motherhood, abusive relationships, and the pressures of fame, while also charting her path as a pioneer in a male-dominated music genre.

Here's more from the video: 

From pirate radio to "21 Seconds", So Solid Crew helped change the sound of British music. But what happened when their first lady had to find her own voice? Lisa Maffia joins Mo Gilligan on The Beginning, Middle and End for a funny, honest and emotional conversation about the moments everyone remembers -- and the struggles they didn't see. She takes us inside the iconic "21 Seconds" video, remembers So Solid's unforgettable BRIT Awards win and opens up about the loneliness of going solo. Lisa also reveals why she refused to distance herself from the crew, the pressure of becoming a pop star before she felt ready, and what being on reality TV has taught her. Plus: Audi TTs, superstar encounters, starting new chapters in your 40s and the faith that helped ground her through her mum's cancer diagnosis. For Mo, So Solid were superheroes. This is a chance to meet the woman behind the music. What's your all-time favourite So Solid track -- and where were you when you first heard "21 Seconds"? Let us know in the comments. Like the episode, subscribe and share it with someone who grew up on UK garage. Lisa's book is available - https://amzn.eu/d/0iUQKirq

Here are the timestamps:

00:00 Introducing Lisa Maffia 02:00 Why So Solid Crew were Mo's superheroes 05:00 Is Lisa Maffia her real name? 06:00 "I never planned to be a musician" 08:00 "Oh No" and the So Solid sound 11:00 How Lisa joined So Solid Crew 14:00 Why Mo chose So Solid for Live at the Apollo 16:00 Underground success and pirate radio 19:00 Inside the "21 Seconds" music video 23:00 A cinema premiere for "21 Seconds" 25:00 Being the first lady of So Solid Crew 28:00 Top of the Pops and making Mum proud 32:00 The BRITs: Mo's nerves and So Solid's big win 37:00 Convoys, cars and the Audi TT era 41:00 Recognition and superstar encounters 44:00 Going solo and finding her own sound 46:00 TV appearances and the pressure to perform 49:00 Being told not to talk about So Solid 51:00 Banter, boundaries and giving it back 53:00 Reality TV, feeling overlooked and life in your 40s 56:00 Lisa's book and the conversation turns to faith 59:00 Her mum's cancer diagnosis and finding her church 01:03:00 Reinvention and knowing what matters 01:05:00 Finding peace away from the spotlight 01:07:00 Quickfire questions and sleep routines 01:09:00 Final reflections and where to find Lisa's book 01:10:00 Outro and subscribe

More from Mo Gilligan

• Madonna & Stuart Price on the Power Mac G5 04-Nov-26
• Mix & Match Challenge: Episode 1 02-Nov-26
• Sprout Pi: A Modern Motherboard for iPods 02-Nov-26
• KARMA Turns M-VAVE FM-1Into A Groovebox 02-Nov-26
• VQ3 - An Ensoniq-inspired Mega Synth 01-Nov-26