When you make a lot of money for a record company, they don't want you to evolve. Growing older, you naturally do.

I had been with the label since I was 21. The label wanted shiny pop but I didn't. I found a little independent and we've got all these great reviews in England and now it has gone gold.

When you make a lot of money for a record company, they don't want you to evolve. Growing older, you naturally do.

Instead of thinking that's a nice tune, you start thinking is it the right pace, is it the right tempo? That is the death nell for artists.

When you find yourself on stage singing and you are embarrassed about what you are singing in front of your peers, then you have to think about your priorities.

Yazoo is the name of an old blues label and also a town in America. I like it because it doesn't mean a thing, it has no immediate connotations. That's what I hate about so many names today - they're so obviously fashionable.

Within three months I had gone from being this black sheep of the town to suddenly becoming a pop star.