Eve's fairytale living

Thanks to the genius who came up with the law of averages, most of us accept from an early age the chance of living out a real-life fairytale (you know, the type with a happy ending) is not on the cards for most.

More suited to storybooks, when it comes to that perfect job you "fall" into, the handsome prince who sweeps you off your feet and the best mother-in-law in the world (ha!) we're waiting for miracles.

So you can imagine my joy (read: annoyance, envy, jealousy) when I sit down next to Eve, who is living not one, not two but three fairytales — all at the same time.

Enjoying her first trip to Dubai courtesy of King Group Entertainment for a gig at Chi last night, the entertainer is sweet, thoughtful and the kind of girl you wish you were friends with.

Describing her success as "fortunate" a modest Eve opens her own storybook to tell her tale. And before you reach for the sick bag, know that she also plays her own wicked witch.

 Fairytale... music

Music will always be my life," says the 31-year-old through gold sunglasses. "It's what keeps me sane and it feeds everything else I do."

With music on her mind from morning until night, the young Eve sang in numerous girl groups including Dope Girl Posse and EDGP. Going solo was always the dream, and Eve of Destruction was born as a new passion for rap started to emerge.

Her first three albums Let There Be Eve... Ruff Ryders' First Lady, Scorpion and Eve-Olution have sold more than 5 million copies worldwide, and in 2002 Eve hit the high notes, scooping a Grammy Award for her song Let Me Blow Ya Mind, featuring Gwen Stefani.

Now a free agent after leaving Interscope, her label of 11 years, following "political issues" within the organisation, Eve is now working on a new album which she hopes will be ready by spring.

"I've been doing mini tours which has helped get me back into a place where I can feel the crowd again. I have a new single with DJ Banger in the UK, which is like nothing I've ever done before. I have to experiment with music, I have to try new things to keep it fun." she says.

"I've been in this business a long time and as fortunate as I've been, you have to take the good with the bad."

"Music will always be my life. I've been in this business a long time and as fortunate as I've been, you have to take the good with the bad."

Fairytale... film

Having landed roles in two films due to premiere at the Dubai International Film Festival Drew Barrymore's directorial debut Whip It! (above) and Chris Rock's Good Hair — Eve says she's excited about playing Rosa Sparks in Whip It!.

"It was like summer camp on skates with cameras," she says in fit of laughter.

"I don't know what people know about roller derby, but its basically a derby on wheels where you have to knock people down to catch points. We are doing 90 per cent of our own stunts. I took the movie because I didn't think we'd be doing our own stunts.

"If [Barrymore] was nervous, we never knew. She honestly is one of the most, and it sounds cliché to say, amazing people I know. It's almost impossible. It's like, are you this person every day? She's the bubbliest, sweetest most dedicated and passionate person and because of her passion it makes you want to work just as hard."

Starring as herself in Good Hair, a documentary about black women and their hair, Eve looks embarrassed to admit that it was her hair which had made her more than an hour late for our interview. "You can't get mad at him. He has such a great way about him. Chris Rock is one of the comedians who you can depend on for telling the truth, but he's not offensive. At all. And I think that's why he's such an acceptable person.

"I wear weaves, I sometimes wear wigs, I put relaxers in, I wear braids. I have done it all. In this movie he gets a lot of women to tell their secrets. I saw it and I'm sat there with my glasses on and my scarf in my hair and I'm talking about my weave which I never thought I'd do on a big screen.

"He takes a trip to India and you see where he meets these women who go through the ritual of actually cutting off their hair and it's a religious thing for them but they don't even know how much money their hair is actually making. It was an educational thing, even though it was embarrassing."

Next up Eve has a cameo in 4.3.2.1 and is also working as the music producer on a new film.

As if that isn't enough, her own script for a thriller is on the way, as well as the launch of her very own production company.

She also had a guest-starring gig on Glee playing the coach of a competing club.

 Fairytale... fashion

 Always fabulous on the red carpet, Eve started her own fashion line called Fetish and
now has plans for a new line which should be launched by 2010.

“This one is just mine,” she said firmly. “I’m taking snapshots of clothes I wear or see and thinking how they can be improved.

Whether its an embellishment, fabric or just the shape. I want my clothes to be
easy. I think sometimes fashion can be intimidating.

Fashion should not take 100 hours, even though I take 100 hours to get ready.”

Eve on Eve

The American entertainer might be living a fairytale life, but don't think she's all princess

Enter the Wicked Witch…

"I have my days," she says raising her eyebrows. "I am definitely a brat and can be very snippy. When I'm hungry I am bratty. I have to have food, I'm a self proclaimed foodie, so food is a big one. When I'm tired, if I haven't had enough sleep then I'm grouchy. When things aren't right, I like everything to be right. I like to know everything that's going on.

"There are days when I go crazy. I live in my head, I'm very analytical. So there are days when I have to talk to myself and say stop thinking so much."

The Princess…

"But I'm also blessed to have amazing people around me. My mother, I'm still scared of. "I turn into a 12-year-old when I talk to her. She believes a lot in respect and she would be very upset with me if I was disrespectful. I believe in human respect."

Unsure whether a flood of tears could be on the cards I reached for a tissue. If she didn't blub I could well have done. "I couldn't do it by myself. I am blessed to have an amazing team of people around me and with me.

"Even on the bad days when I wake up in the morning I say 'thank you for this beautiful day'. I don't know what the day is going to hold, but my eyes opened and for that I'm happy."