Best friends Melanie Masson and Simone Lahbib on life, love and working together in lockdown

For the viewer, it’s a joyous celebration of family and friendship – all the things we love and miss as lockdown rolls on – with a blisteringly good, Northern Soul-inspired song as soundtrack.

For Melanie, it was a treasured chance to work with her bestie, Scottish actor Simone Lahbib, who directed the whole shebang.

“Simone and I met at Queen Margaret University’s drama school in Edinburgh when we were teenagers and we have been friends ever since,” says Melanie, who is originally from Cathcart.

Simone agrees. “We’ve been friend since our giggly teens,” she smiles. “And the giggling hasn’t stopped.

Socially distanced meet-ups during lockdown.

“Now we both live in north London, about 15 minutes away from each other.”

The two women have worked on several projects over the years, including some of Simone’s charity fundraisers for the Eilidh Brown Memorial Fund, which aims to build a holiday home for children with cancer in memory of a young teenage girl who died of the disease in 2010.

“Mel has performed at the For The Love of Eilidh star-filled, fundraising concerts at the MacRobert Art Centre in Stirling and at the ‘Bad Girl Reunion’ fundraisers,” says Simone, who starred in the ITV prison drama series.

“We have our third coming up in London in September, all going well with Covid.”

Melanie says Simone’s skill behind the camera comes from her understanding of working in front of it.

“She is not only a great actress but a great director too,” says Melanie. “Having had such a successful career in front of the camera, she knows how to get the best out of a performer. We understand each other and I knew she’d totally get what I wanted to achieve and enhance it,”

Simone, currently starring in EastEnders as evil Katy Lewis, agrees.

Simone and Melanie have supported each other through the trials and joys of motherhood.

“We bounce well off each other,” she says. “Melanie is so talented, hardworking and a consummate professional, it’s always easy and always fun.

“I am just finishing post-production on a short film which I’ve written and directed called ‘Swipe Right’ which Melanie did some of the music for. We’ve also recently pitched a TV show idea which we shot our own teaser for.”

The two women have managed to stay in close touch during lockdown.

“It has been challenging, obviously, but we manage to see each other for socially distanced dog walks and Zoom sessions,” smiles Melanie.

“We have had loads of adventures, but really, we just enjoy hanging out at home, eating, drinking, chatting…. and dancing around the living room. We laugh a lot.”

Simone and Melanie.

This is Melanie’s second single on her own all-female record label, All About Eve. It follows her well-received cover of the Beyonce hit, Why Don’t You Love Me? for which Simone also directed the video.

“We’ve been through so much together over the years, since our teens - all our major life events,” says Melanie.

READ MORE: Glasgow drinks company boss opens up on business and babies in lockdown

“I was there when her daughter Skye was born, she was a bridesmaid at my wedding, we moved to London at the same time, she’s come on tour with me, and the list goes on…She’s the first person I call in good times and bad.”

Melanie's new single Seasons is out now

Simone introduced Melanie to actor Forbes Masson during the filming of Young Person’s Guide to Becoming a Rock Star and she was the couple’s bridesmaid. She is also godmother to Melanie and Forbes’ children Rua and Ramsay. Both families make an appearance in the video.

“Melanie and I have been there for each other through thick and thin - all our lives’ ups and downs,” says Simone. “She is like family to me.”

Seasons by Melanie Masson is out now and the video is available to watch on YouTube.