CBBC Music: Encore Answer Your Questions!

You had loads of questions for Encore and so did we here at CBBC Music. Read on and find out what they had to say...

Did you always want to be singers? RedSportyDevil

Cairo: I didn't always want to be a singer. I did when I was younger and then I stopped for a little bit. I wanted to do something in sports but then I got back into singing.

Pierre: I always wanted to be a part of music. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do, whether it was singing, song writing or rapping but I just knew I wanted to be a part of that circle.

Mark: I always wanted to perform.

Who are your music heroes? SepiaTromboneBear

All: Michael Jackson

Cairo: First and foremost it's Michael Jackson and then from there we all have our individual inspirations, like mine would be music soul child, Lauren Hill.

Pierre: As soon as I saw Craig David come on the scene I was like "Yeah - I want to be just like that. I want to be just like him".

Mark: Usher and Beyonce

If you could collaborate with any other artist who would it be and why? CrystalVanillaPrimrose

Cairo: I would collaborate with Drake or J Cole. Although I am inspired by a lot of singers. I am actually inspired by a lot of rappers. I love their flow and their messages.

When did you start writing songs?

Cairo: I'd say we started writing together like 2 years ago but I started writing songs from when I was about 15. I wrote my first one when I was 3 though, something about walking down the street with my feet; it had a nice melody to it!

Pierre: I started really at the end of Year 11 when I was finishing school. I remember my music teacher gave me a room to actually practise producing and I thought, whilst I am trying to learn how to make beats why don't I just give song writing a go? So yeah, from the age of 16.

What's it like being famous and do you like it? PinkFootieHoneyBee

Cairo: It is a lot of fun, there are a lot of perks. Everyday is very different and you get to meet lots of people and go to different places.

Pierre: Yeah I definitely agree with Cario; the perks, the freebies, the free clothes and just meeting loads of people, travelling the country, going to places you've never been before. That's what I enjoy and making loads of new friends.

Do you have any tips on rapping?

Pierre: Say for instance if you're not doing anything and you're in the kitchen or in the living room and you see a table you see anything that's around you in your surroundings and that has a rhyme. So if you had a chair and had stairs you know just connect words, connect rhymes and just use what is around you. Make a story with it, if you can.

Who have you most enjoyed touring with?

Pierre: I would say NDubz. It was really cool to tour with them. The last day was in the O2 Arena in Greenwich [which] is our home town and we performed in front of over 10,000 people so that was definitely the tour for me.

Cairo: Mine was Jessie J. I love Jessie, I think vocally she is nuts and I loved the live band.

Mark: I'd say Tinchey Stryder just because it was fun. The tour was intimate and we got to get up close and personal.

If you could go to any country where would you go and why? PinkFunnyTimelord

Pierre: I would probably have to go to Egypt again. I've been there before, but the whole history and just everything about it I just love...

If you could do any other job in the world what would it be and why?

Cairo:  Other than music I wanted to study palaeontology. I love stuff to do with prehistoric life and how life started and stuff so yeah I love all that.

Have you got any phobias and if so what are they?

Cairo: I have one phobia, I hate cotton wool. I can't stand it! Cotton wool is the worst thing!...

Pierre:  No not really, I am pretty fearless in that sense. [Although] I don't like insects with fur or hair. I don't like moths!

Mark: Big insects, big ones, big scary ones with legs fur and eyes!

If you were an animal what would you be and why?

Pierre: I would probably have to be an eagle because they just fly about and eagles are probably one of the top predators, so no one is going to mess with me!

Mark: I would be a tiger so nobody can mess with me, or a lion so I would be the King of the jungle.

Cairo: I'd be a gibbon. I love gibbons... they can swing mad fast through trees.

How would you describe Encore in one word?

Mark: Fresh

Pierre: Cool

Cairo: Ambitious

Make sure you keep an eye on the CBBC Music site for more great star interviews!