Fleur East is a singer, songwriter, Hits Radio presenter, known for hosting Strictly Come Dancing's companion show It Takes Two. She's also mother to 11-month old Nova and the co-founder, with her sister, of The Kurl Kitchen, a natural haircare line bringing organic African ingredients to the UK.
'Me and my sister had been working on Kurl Kitchen since 2020, so it was four years in the making before we even launched,' she says. 'It was after we lost our father in 2020 and we wanted to do something in his legacy. We wanted to do something as sisters, and so we decided to go to Ghana and formulate the range there, as it's where our mother is from.'
Tying in their family's culture into their business was really important to them. Ingredients include Yam, Okra and Baobab, things that can be found in every West African kitchen, she says.
Amazing news came through in June last year when they heard Boots wanted to stock the product. But not long before, Fleur had received another piece of incredible news. The presenter learned she was pregnant and was due in March. Thinking back, she laughs at the timing. 'What are the chances that it would fall in the way it did.'
When it was time to launch she had Nova, just a few months old, with her at all of the shoots, meetings and launch event. Looking back, she praises the village she had around her to make it work. From her 'amazing' husband, to her aunt Tina and sister. 'Because I had my village around me, I was able to manage it all.'
'It takes all of us, all hands on deck, to try and juggle it that way,' she says. 'But, you know, it's not been easy. It's really not been easy.'
Being a freelancer, she often feels pulled in different directions without a consistent schedule. 'There are times where, if I have work after radio, I then end up not seeing anyone, because Nova will be in bed by the time I get back,' she explains. 'And then I miss her again in the morning because I'm back on the radio. So it's difficult.'
She recalls one time she got her schedule through and learnt there would be three days where she was away from home in a row. 'I was just like, "I can't do this". And I got really upset about it, actually. I [just thought] I need to see my baby. I can't do this.'
Her husband, sensing her distress, brought Nova to her workplace during that intense work period, so she could see them both in between. 'I just needed to be with her and so things like that, I find really hard.'
Looking back on her nearly one year of motherhood, she says she's learnt to prioritise things. 'I know everybody says this, but once you have a child, you're not a priority anymore – really and truly,' she says. 'That is the first time that you really understand what unconditional and selfless love is, because you have someone that's completely dependent on you, and you are their world, so every decision you make impacts them.'
Since having Nova she's turned down jobs – a first for her, as she says she's used to making things work. But it was Nova's first birthday, and even if she could slot it in and grab a train to make it at the last minute, she felt like this moment signified something bigger.
'She's never going to have this first birthday ever again. This is my first baby, and if I set the precedent now for myself that I'm going to miss these milestones to go and make money when, I'm in a fortunate position where I can, I can be more selective of what I do and when.'
It's something she was worried about before having Nova: how will I be after becoming a parent? Will I change? Will I lose the 'old me'? But she's thrilled that her motivation has just been 'supercharged' since having a baby and any changes are good ones.
'I've welcomed this new version of me. I've said goodbye to the old me, but not in a sad way, but in an exciting way – I'm embracing this new chapter.'