EDDI Reader and Fairground Attraction hit number one with Perfect. Now she’s staging another perfect show in Croydon, writes Will Scott EDDI Reader returns to the singing arena with her vibrant blend of mezzo soprano vocals combined with emotionally engaging gems of eloquence in a tribute to the Bard of Scotland.

The former Fairground Attraction songstress is currently on tour with her new album, Eddi Reader Sings The Songs of Robbie Burns, a collection of folk songs by Scotland’s greatest poet.

When Leisure caught up with the feisty Scottish lassie, her love for Robbie Burns, the farcical 1988 Brits show, Manchester misery Morrissey and the pressures of having a number one single were just a few of the topics discussed.

Reader was quick to point out her new album was neither an introspective attempt to find herself nor an agenda to celebrate her Scottish heritage. Instead it sprung from a simple attraction to Burns himself.

She said: “He was a self-made young man of 22 who questioned authority, took the mickey out of his mates and wrote beautiful poetry to women.

“Burns was like a young Bob Dylan who wrote words and tunes. My Love is Like a Red Red Rose is the best love song I have ever had the honour of singing.” It sounds as if Burns is the best boyfriend she never had.

“I think I would be very wary of Robert Burns because I think he used poetry to make conquests,” she laughed.

The singer made a conquest of her own with Fairground Attraction — they conquered the UK singles charts with Perfect.

The song contains the well-known lines ‘Too many people take second best but I won’t take anything less...’ So has the singer ever settled for second best?

“Never,” she laughed “I try to live my life as authentically as possible and I tell myself the truth every day.” The band performed Perfect during one of the most cringe-worthy shows in telly history, the infamous Brit Awards of 1988 which was compered by Mick Fleetwood and Sam Fox. But the singer said they had a ball — even if we viewers thought it was TV hell.

She said: “I got to meet Boy George, get drunk, float about with Alan Price’s daughter, pinch popstars’ bums and watch Bros preen themselves in front of every piece of reflective surface they could see.” Some critics might say it was all downhill for the band after having that number one hit but the former Eurythmics backing singer doesn’t see it that way.

She said: “Just because your next records don’t go to number one doesn’t mean you’re a failure. If that was the case then Tom Waits is a failure — and he certainly ain’t!

“It was harder for Mark [E Nevin, the songwriter in the band] because he was under pressure from the record company to write more Perfects. Not long after the album he left the band to write songs for Morrissey.” Old misery guts Morrissey is one of Reader’s musical favourites, alongside The Super Furry Animals, who she says are geniuses, Rufus Wainwright, Paul Brady and Bob Dylan. But it’s Waits who tops the bill.

She said: “I loved the Smiths, I get the wit and the beautiful musicianship but it works on only one level for me. With Tom Waits it’s like diving into a big jewellery box.” The performer, who was also once a member of punk outfit Gang of Four, says she does like some of the music around today. She believes there have always been throwaway songs but is concerned by the way record companies present their products.

“The performers are all very well manicured. There doesn’t seem to be any ruffians getting through — apart from Darius and the Cheeky Girls, I like them,” she laughed.

And she is still a firm favourite with music-lovers herself. Reader says having someone stop her in the street to say ‘You’re my karaoke’ is the best thing to happen to her.

Reader’s agent had told me to be gentle because the singer’s voice was a little delicate after five months on the road but we chatted for well over an hour. However, she did recognise the need to rest her voice.

She said: "I have to speak very quietly on my days off. I mean, you don’t ask David Beckham to play football three days in a row and opera singers don’t sing more than three gigs in a week. Some people think rock and pop is different but your voice is just a muscle so it needs to be nurtured.” See her flexing her musical muscles in Croydon later this month.

You can see Eddi Reader at the Ashcroft Theatre, Fairfield Halls, Park Lane, Croydon, June 17, 7.45pm, £14.50, 020 8688 9291