THE fate of Amy Winehouse is very much on the mind of Mica Paris, who is an ambassador for the charity in her fellow singer's name, as she prepares to star in new musical Love Me Tender at Sunderland Empire next week.

"I haven't had a chance to see the film yet, but I'm pretty close with Janis, Amy's mother. She's a wonderful woman and I know people aren't happy with the movie but I can't comment. I can only say that girl was so special and with many people who are so special, they don't stay around for very long," she says.

"You have to have people there for you who want to be there. It's tough enough in the music business and the fame game is harder. Janis couldn't be everywhere with Amy because she has MS. I think if Janis had been more involved then things would have been different. I knew Amy well and the reason I joined the charity was because she was a wonderful girl and very opinionated. What I loved about her was that she was really feisty," says Paris.

The pair met when both were signed for Island Records. "I got a call and Island said, 'We've got a new girl and she reminds us of you'. As I was doing a BBC Radio 2 show, I asked her to do an interview and the first thing she said was, 'You're a f****** legend Mica' and we got chatting. She was black and white, told you straight and there was never any bull****. That was what I liked about her. She never tried to be anything she wasn't. I loved her and I put her on as my first artist at the Jazz Cafe," she says.

Now, the Amy Winehouse Foundation is helping youngsters in crisis. "Regardless of all the politics and drama, there is something good coming out of her death and that's always an important thing. The charity has different shelters around the country and helps kids who are runaways or been abused. Some just want a bed and something to eat, others want to become recording artists. Fundamentally, it's really that the youngsters have nowhere to go and how can you not want to help that. I always felt that our industry doesn't support artists at an emotional level. That's why there are so many casualties. We haven't got there yet," Paris says.

Producer Adam Spiegel always had her in mind when he set about casting Love Me Tender and Paris says: "That was way sweet. I don't know if I've got the musical bug now. I love this because it feels like it was tailor-made for me. If you know anything about me you know I've never sat down and planned things out. It might have been different if I did. I might have done things better," says the performer who went platinum with her debut 1988 album So Good. My One Temptation, Black Angel, Stay and Carefree were among the worldwide hits as Paris was tempted to try West End runs in Mama I Want To Sing and Sweet Lorraine.

Does she worry about being the star name on Love Me Tender?

"I didn't think about it really. I loved the play and it was a good script and it's been 20 years since I've done a project like this. I've always been reluctant to do theatre because I've never aspired to be an actress, but what I loved is that my character of Sylvia reminds me of me. The only difference between us is that she has no commitment, and I thought, 'I don't have to be somebody else, I just have to be me'," she says.

Paris likes the light, funny treatment of the 1950s-set plot which features Elvis Presley hits against the background of colour prejudice and segregation in a small town which are disturbed by the arrival of an hip-swivelling stranger on a motorbike called Chad (Ben Lewis).

"It's a comedy essentially and then there's the background of a couple of love stories and we're in such a state of crisis at the moment, more so than ever, that two-and-a-half hours of pure entertainment is just what is required. I think we've always looked at art to ease the pain of life," she says.

Playwright Joe DiPietro, who also created the hit musical Memphis, has used Shakespeare's Twelfth Night as his inspiration and 25 Elvis songs make an unusual companion.

"I'm four-and-a-half weeks in and still really enjoying the show. I'm sure someone will come out of woodwork and tell me they've played Sylvia before, but it's nice to try something fresh. I don't mind trying new things because if I make a complete twit of myself, you won't see me doing that again."

Paris enjoys singing the Elvis song There's Always Me and says, "It was one I'd never heard of before and it's beautiful and my favourite in the show. I know will think it's a tribute album show, but it's not."

The singer also highlights the performance of Shaun Williamson as Jim. "I was surprised how good his voice was," she says.

"I've been doing this career for 28 years and every step of the way I couldn't tell you I was going to do certain things. I didn't know I'd have a radio show at Radio 2 for five years and BBC1's What Not To Wear. I know I did Strictly (in 2006) and looked like a twit. I was a nosey little sod, but I hated every minute of it and it was the same on Masterchef. I nearly died on that because it was so stressful. I don't have to do these things again. I think it's not about the winning. I'm not a competitive person and I don't like that process. I'll have a go if everyone is having a laugh," Paris says.

n Love Me Tender, Sunderland Empire, Monday to Saturday. Box Office: 0844-871-3022 or ATGtickets.com/sunderland