Jamelia blasted her way onto the R'n'B scene a few years ago with her single Money, she's been away for a while but now she's back with a brand new single, a new album and a tour with Mis-teeq.
She spoke to BBC Suffolk's Carla Narth.
Birmingham's R'n'B star Jamelia has had a short career so far but you could be forgiven for thinking that she is a music veteran.
The 22-year-old has released only two albums, yet she has had five top ten hits and collaborated with some of music's biggest names including Beenie Man and Bubba Sparxxx.
She was discovered by Parlophone Records at 15 but finished school first and then, aged 18, released her first single. Jamelia was nominated for four MOBO awards in 2000 and won Best Video but then, just a things were really hotting up for her, she put her career on hold for two years to give birth to and bring up her baby Teja.
In the two years that she's been away, R'n'B has exploded into the UK mainstream and Jamelia has had to re-establish herself in this competitive market. But it seems as though she has done just that, 'Superstar' the second single from her album 'Thank you' has been top ten for three weeks.
Her album, entitled 'Thank you', is packed with catchy, fun-loving and upbeat R'n'B grooves, 'Superstar' being the most pop of the tracks, and the title track and next single being a slower, deeper tune about physical abuse.
Listen to the full interview � (real, 28k 9' 55")
CN: Your new single has gone Top 10� How does that feel after being away for 2 years?
Jamelia: It's absolutely fantastic, a total dream come true and it's even better than the first time around because I've had to kind of reprove myself which has been a fantastic challenge.
You had a really big hit with Money and then you've been away and had a daughter, have you included that experience in your music?
I really do find it a little bit cheesy doing songs about your kids, so I haven't done anything like that.
But she's definitely been a total motivation and inspiration to me. Everything on the album is very positive, I don't have any negative songs on there.
I am a very positive person and I'd like to influence people positively rather than encourage them to be sad.
How do you balance work and being a mum?
Well my mum actually looks after Teja whenever I'm working but I do bring Teja around to quite a few gigs. She actually loves it and she loves the attention and she loves the music.
Jamelia talks about her collaborations with Asher D and Bubba Sparxxx.
On your new album you've worked with some big names, Rah Digga, Asher D from So Solid and Bubba Sparxxx. How did that all come about?
Basically they were all my first choices for collaborations. They (the record company) asked me who I want to feature on the album and I got my first choice.
Any more collaborations in the pipeline?
Hopefully. I'd love to do some for the next album. I'd love to work with Mary J. Blige. But I'd also like to do a song with me, Miss Dynamite, Lisa Maffia, Mis-Teeq, Javine - all the girls.
Who are you inspired by?
Mary J Blige, Aaliyah, TLC, people like that.
What's in your stereo at the moment?
I'm always playing my 50 Cent, I love Beyonce's new album and I've just bought So Solid's album but I haven't listened to it yet!
What do you think of the UK R'n'B scene at the moment?
I think it's absolutely brilliant, I think it's really good that we've got so many UK Urban artists out at the moment. But I still think it could be better, if we got as much support as our American counterparts, but these things take time and I do believe that we can be up there with them very soon.
What do think makes you stand out from all the R'n'B/Pop that's out there at the moment?
I think it's just the fact that I've come with something different, a different side of R'n'B I just think that I'm a little bit more quirky and I'm quite outspoken and I love to kind of be a little bit controversial, whereas most people just like to be safe.
How were the MOBOs?
Absolutely brilliant, I had an excellent time, hopefully next year I'll be picking up a few! It was lovely to be there and be a part of the whole thing.
You picked up a MOBO a couple of years ago.
Yes I picked up one for the Best Video and that was a fantastic achievement for me because it was like I was being given back - basically people were happy with what they had heard, so I was really pleased with it.
Jamelia talks about the MOBOs and her tour with Mis-teeq
There's been lots of talk about the MOBOs becoming Americanised and not really supporting UK home-grown talent. What do you think about that?
I think that next year is going to be the year for UK talent because we've had a lot of UK Urban artists come out this year and a lot of them weren't really eligible for MOBOs. But I think that next year it's gonna be a lot bigger and I think that the UK has got so many brilliant artists and it's just a case of being supported by UK residents!
Next year it's gonna be like� Beyonce who?!
You're touring with Mis-teeq, how's that going?
Absolutely brilliantly, I'm having a really good time. The girls are lovely, the atmosphere's good, the food's good - which is very important to me! And the crowds have just been absolutely amazing.
You're coming to Ipswich on 16th October, is that the end of the tour?
Yes I think that's the last date, so I think that's probably gonna be the best one. So it's gonna be good fun, we're gonna give it our all - not that we don't usually give it our all - but I think that's one's gonna be quite a big one.
Have you been to Ipswich before?
Yes I think I did a show there in August for MOBO Unsung. I didn't get to look around but maybe this time I will.
What's the next single?
It's gonna be the title track of the album - it's called Thank you. I'm really looking forward to releasing that because it's really meant as an inspirational song and I think every person on earth can take something from that song and hopefully learn from it.
Where do you draw your influences from for your songs?
I get inspiration from absolutely everything on earth. Everything, everyone. Soaps, other people, other songs - I love to listen to other songs, the people that I meet. A lot of my friends' situations are on my album!
So you still find time to keep up with your friends then?
Yeah, I think a mobile phone is the best thing on earth! Whenever I go home I try to make the effort to see as much of my friends and family as possible. It's very important to me to keep myself grounded.
You keep a diary on your website. Is it difficult to maintain when you're on the road?
Well it's not that difficult coz every day I just write in my diary so it's just a case of getting to a computer an putting it on there. But it's not really hard, you know, five minutes a day. It's not much to ask when you've got fans who buy your songs and stuff. I think it's the least I could do really.
What's coming up for you in the future?
Hopefully I'll have a successful album and just basically a successful career. I'd love to have success all round and just continue being as happy as I am at the moment, that would be brilliant.