Reproduced from Courier Mail (Brisbane) 2 October, 1999

"I think what Geri Haliwell is doing is good - good on her," she said. "But can I be honest? It's very frustrating watching The Spice Girls because you just feel like (shouting) `you just can't sing!' "

Cousins, touted as the next-big-thing in soft techno-pop with a top 40 hit Forever roaring up the Australian charts, was speaking before performing as special guest at the all-ages rave in the Queen Street Mall last night.

It's a long way from Cousins's break in The Rolling Stones filmclip as a teen model.

"I had to dive into a swimming pool fully clothed," she said. "I was really excited to meet the band and I arrived and saw Keith Richards at the bar a bit worse for wear I think.

"Then Mick Jagger walks past and basically shoves me as he walks past.

"Well, I wasn't going to take that, so I pushed him back. Then I think I ran and hid behind something."

Cousins, who is signed with Kylie Minogue's old hit machine Pete Waterman, was discovered as a model on a train.

Her voice was discovered when she filled in for a sick performer at a parade.

After UK hits and concerts including the hyped ABBA special with bands Steps, Cleopatra, Bewitched and Billie, big things are expected for her album Killin' Time, which has just been released in Australia.

And for anyone who's expecting a dumb blonde after reports of her recreation of the Barbarella filmclip for previous single Angel - she warns they will be surprised.

"Actually in the filmclip there was this nice model in a loincloth and, er, I'm seeing him at the moment," Cousins laughed. "He's a model, his name's Brett - there was this audition process you see."