A lot of men do have a fear of my ultra-femininity. Sometimes people say I look like a drag queen, that I look scary, but I think that's a fear of my confidence. Most women in contemporary culture pare down their femininity, so there's a slight androgyny about them, and I think men have got used to seeing that.

You know, my mum's always encouraged me and never made my gender an issue, I guess. She brought me up to believe in equality, as opposed to feminism or sexism - so it just meant that my gender was not relevant to what I was capable of achieving.

My denim jacket had 'I love GNR' and 'I love AC/DC' written all over it, but I always came back to swing.

I am inspired by show girls and Vegas. I was a cabaret performer, so that's where all that influence comes from.

Once you accept that we're all imperfect it's the most liberating thing in the world. Then you can go around making mistakes and saying the wrong thing and tripping over on the street and all that and not feel worried.

I always carry a good lipstick with me, like MAC in Ruby Woo. It has a matt finish, the essence of that vintage glamour look.

Mum doesn't like it when I mention that Dad's a better cook than her. He was born in Spain and spent eight years in Portugal and is exceptional at lots of cuisines.