IN hindsight, it now seems entirely fitting that Gabrielle's career should have started in 1993 with the smash hit chart success of Dreams.

Whether by accident or design, that bit of foresight leads us perfectly to the present day, as the sassy soul queen from Hackney is preparing to perform tracks from Dreams Can Come True - the first volume of her greatest hits - at Manchester's Apollo.

Call to mind hits such as 'Rise', 'When A Woman', 'If You Ever', 'Out Of Reach' and 'Give Me A Little More Time', and both titles appear entirely apt.

Judging from her cool public persona - further enhanced by a trademark eyepatch - most fans might believe that Gabrielle had always had some game plan in mind. But surprisingly, they'd be wrong.

''Y'know, sometimes I feel like I'm on the biggest blag ever and that one day people will realise and it will all be over,'' she says, only half-joking.

''I just keep hoping they never find out - or that I get better at pretending.''

Whatever the reasons behind her success, Gabrielle's have just kept on coming since Dreams was plucked from the relative obscurity of London's underground R 'n' B scene and placed before a far wider audience.

That audience ensured that Gabrielle's first two albums produced a staggering six pop top 10s and a string of awards, including two BRITs, a couple of MOBOs and an American Music Award.

But it hasn't all been plain sailing for the star, who also found herself the subject of less heartening headlines.

Before hitting the big time, she temped during the day and performed in West End clubs at night.

And when one-time boyfriend Tony Antoniou - father of her son Jordan - appeared in court on a murder charge in 1997, it became known in the newspapers as the Gabrielle Murder, even though she had absolutely no connection to the grim events.

Typically, even this emotional torment was turned to some good use - the hit single Rise captured hearts as it told of Gabrielle's fight back to normality.

However, chart-topper or not, it is Jordan, now six, who will always be number one in the singer's life: ''He's No 1. My career is important to me, but my son is my life. He's very kind, very warm, very thoughtful and very funny. I'm so proud of him.''

Fortunately, Gabrielle's mum has been on hand to take care of Jordan since the bright lights beckoned.

And Gabrielle, now 32, also thanks her mum for being something of a guiding influence musically over the years.

''Growing up, I was a pop kid,'' she recalls.

''Michael Jackson's Off The Wall, Adam & The Ants, Wham!, Chaka Khan...

''And then I'd go down into my mum's record collection and dig out Marvin Gaye, Barry White, Bobby Womack and Dennis Brown. Recently I've been listening to David Gray and Eve all the time. It all goes in and comes out again as me.''

Far from resting on her laurels, Gabrielle is already well into the writing and recording of her fourth album.

Play To Win will be released around next spring and Gabrielle will be embarking on an arena tour, calling into the Manchester Evening News Arena on June 15 next year.

In the meantime she's still counting her blessings - 16 of them on this Greatest Hits.

''Not too many of the songs I've been writing recently have been sad, y'know?'' she grins in conclusion.

Like the song says, dreams can come true.

Gabrielle appears at the Manchester Apollo on Monday and Tuesday. Please call on 0161 242 2560 to check ticket availability.