Last updated 15:23, Friday, 18 April 2008

Singer-songwriter KT Tunstall played to a sellout crowd when at the Sands Centre last night. The tour, which has seen her visiting Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore, featured songs from her albums and a few surprises.

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KT Tunstall performs live on stage at the sell out gig at the Sands Centre, Carlisle

The acclaimed singer-songwriter released her second studio album, Drastic Fantastic, last year. It is a collection of thumping pop songs and intimate, mysterious ballads and reached number three in the UK album charts.

The 32-year-old from St Andrews in Scotland said: "Drastic Fantastic is deliberately different from my first album. It turns my stomach to think that I was churning out the same type of material. There are elements of pop music in my work but there is also a darker side. It is a complex album."

And according to KT, there is nothing better than the feeling of being on stage doing what she loves most - performing.

At the age of 16 she received a scholarship to Kent School, in Connecticut, north eastern USA, an experience that helped give her the foundations for performing live.

"I did a lot of open mic nights and this taught me what was needed to put on a live show," she said. "Without this experience I wouldn’t have the confidence to be able to get the audience’s attention during a show.

"The most rewarding thing is the number of tours that have sold out. I remember when I was desperate to get people to come and listen to my music. I am now fulfilling this dream."

It was as 19-year-old busker in Camden in London that KT had a brush with celebrity. Take That’s Mark Owen walked past as she was playing, telling her that he liked her music and giving her £1.

But it was her appearance on Later... with Jools Holland in 2004 that secured her success. Nas pulled out of the show and KT, who had already been scouted by the show, was asked to take her place. And it wasn’t long before her debut album Eye To The Telescope was released to critical and public acclaim, securing a Mercury Music Prize nomination and seeing KT outselling every other female artist in the UK in 2005.

KT has become a festival regular, playing mind-blowing live shows, including Glastonbury and T In the Park.

This year she’ll play T in the Park and Hard Rock Calling, in London.

"I think playing at festivals is what live music is all about," she said. "I love the atmosphere at festivals because it captures the spirit of what gigs should be about."

She has a busy summer planned but still hopes to find time to organise her wedding to band drummer Luke Bullen. They haven’t set a date but KT is certain that they’ll tie the knot in Scotland this year.

KT counts Robert Plant, PJ Harvey and Bat for Lashes among her favourites acts and thinks the British music scene is flourishing, with the success of acts such as Amy Winehouse, Kate Nash, Lilly Allen and Amy Macdonald.

"I would be frustrated if I was put in a particular bag," she said. "I have aggressive rhythms and distinctive guitar playing. I am a huge fan of Beck and admire the way he can put anything out yet you know it is him and he doesn’t lose any support."

KT Tunstall was supported by Swedish acoustic folk-rock band Teitur.