Earlier this year Sharleen Spiteri released Melody, her first album as a solo artist, on which she opened up about the breakdown of her relationship with magazine editor Ashley Heath. With Melody charting higher than the last two Texas albums, it seems the feisty Glaswegian has rediscovered the winning formula behind hits like 'Black Eyed Boy' and 'I Don't Want A Lover'. We gave Sharleen a call to find out more about the album, her love life and that spat with Paris Hilton.
What inspired your new single, 'Stop I Don't Love You Anymore'?
"Well, "inspired" probably wouldn't be the correct term to use. It certainly wasn't inspiring what happened to me, but the album is based on the break-up of my ten-year relationship with the father of my daughter. The single's written about that moment when you get your head around it all and realise, 'Oh right, it is over' and you move on."
How tough was it to sit down and start writing lyrics about your personal life?
"In the past I've always been able to skirt around the edges or hide within the band. I've written songs like 'Black Eyed Boy' and 'Halo', which are love songs, but with this album there was no hiding from it being about me. Sometimes I did try to take the personal side out of it because I don't want people to have that insight into me. That was the most difficult part - not the writing, but the letting it go."
Does the success of the record make it less likely you'll be back with Texas anytime soon?
"When I sat down to write the record, I thought it was going to be a Texas record. Then it suddenly became obvious this wasn't going to be a record for guitars and a band playing together. It was about a very insular moment. I've come to realise as well that these songs and places weren't where I wanted the band to see me. When people really know you, it can be uncomfortable when you're singing about personal matters. The next record I haven't really thought about yet and I genuinely don't know which way to head."
When you first started in Texas there weren't many strong female popstars, but now there's loads of them in the charts. What do you think has changed?
"There's people like Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Adele and Estelle and I think they're coming through knowing there's a choice. I think that's the big difference. They know if you don't want to do t*ts and a**, you don't do it. They're not in the glamour magazines but they are all sexy women. These women are managing to do the whole circle - be a woman, be strong, make great music and make their own choices."
Did people try to mould you into a glamour girl when you started?
"I remember when I was first signed I was spoken to like I was a third party. It was like I was invisible. I was at the record company and on that day, I thought 'F**k this s**t. That ain't gonna happen'. At the end of the day you make your own choices. If I'd gone down the route they wanted me to, I don't think I'd be where I am now. Yeah, I had to push hard to always prove my point, which got me a reputation as a pain in the a**e, but so what? I don't really give a s**t."
What's the real story behind your spat with Paris Hilton?
"It was one of those stupid moments that you get caught up in and think, 'How did I get here?' I was at a Vanity Fair party and she was there with her big entourage. I was sober and she got up to make a spectacle of herself and stood on my mate's coats. They asked her to get off and she ignored them, so I stuck my straw in my drink and blew it all over her."
How did she react to that?
"She was like, 'Bleurgh! What was that!' I'd basically opened the gates to hell and all the people sat next to me started hurling ice cubes at her. We ended up squaring up to each other and I told her: 'F**k off or I'm going to kick the s**t out of you'."
You won't be appearing on Paris Hilton's My New BFF then?
"It's still surreal to me that I was in the same room with someone as thick as Paris Hilton. I actually cringe and feel like I should apologise for actually exchanging dialogue with her. You've got to watch the parties you go to and I thought Vanity Fair would be a little more highbrow."
Sharleen Spiteri releases 'Stop I Don't Love You Anymore' on Monday. The album, Melody, is out now.
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