Hello Ladyhawke. How does it feel to have released the best album of the year?

Ah wow! That's a big call. I haven't been able to wipe the smile off my face since the day it came out. People don't realise that I started Ladyhawke three and a half years ago; the oldest track is 'Back of the Van' and I recorded that three years ago. It feels like it's been a long time coming, so when the album got released it was like a huge weight off my shoulders. I was so excited and I've been floating around ever since. I'm ecstatic. I don't even care how well it does; I've never had my own album before. It's on vinyl as well, and they look beautiful.

So your first album is the best album of the year. Where do you go from here?

I've got a few more in me yet. I have the next album in my head, I've demoed one track and so I know exactly how it's gonna be. I don't know if people will like it, it's different to this one.

Oh no! Don't say you've got a band in and it's all going to go horribly wrong?

No, no! It'll be different in a good way. I don't want people to expect me to do the exact same thing, that's just boring. It has to be new and exciting. It's just gonna be me though, I like how I work.

Like pop maverick Robyn before you, this album might not be a success until Radio One eventually realise how good it is. Are you prepared to have to rerelease songs and pretend they're new, a year from now?

Ha, ha. I'm prepared for that, in my head. I'd like for them to be rereleased, because I feel like when I released 'Back of the Van' it got missed, and I felt sad because that song's so special to me. Maybe in a few months, if people are enjoying the album, I could rerelease 'Back of the Van' and get it some more attention from the people who didn't know it existed before!

One way or another you're going to have a number one, we just don't know when!

I'm trying not to think about that. If I start going down that road... I'm too sensitive to be able to deal with it. I'll just concentrate on what I'm doing and whatever happens happens.

Since you are new, could you tell us how Ladyhawke was born?

I decided to call myself Ladyhawke when I was really sick with glandular fever. I couldn't work or do anything. I'd been playing in a band called Teenager but I was so tired all the time and just wanted to do my own thing, from my bedroom. I never really had a sound in mind but I was 'thrashing' Fleetwood Mac, ELO and The Pretenders at the time and I wanted to make music that had that same warm feeling that those songs give you.

What gave you the confidence to sing?

Well I'd never done it before. And one day I was sitting in the living room and I didn't realise that Nick (from Teenager and Pnau) was within earshot of me playing my guitar and singing along to something I'd made up. He came running in and said, "What's that?" And I said, "Ah, it's just this thing I've been working on." Oh, this sounds so cheesey! We went to a studio and knocked it out in an hour and I went back to Melbourne. He called me up and told me it sounded really good and gave me confidence. I didn't think I could sing live, I'm too shy. But he really helped me.

This just sounds like a scene from 'Ladyhawke - The Movie'.

Yes, I know! Totally. Oh god... ha, ha. I got told I was a "character voice", once. It's like, "she's got a great personality". Does that mean I'm shit but I've got character?!

No, it means they're tone-deaf simpletons. Could you give some advice to all the bands and artists who've failed to make the best album of the year, so that they might have a chance at making the best album of next year?

Ha, I don't know... People don't need to over think music. Don't spend time trying to be cool; bands get caught up trying to be cool. But if you listen to something and it gets your heart racing and you want to make something like that - just do it. It doesn't matter what people think of you. When I started Ladyhawke, a lot of people said to me, "What you do is really cheesey." But I don't care. People see through bullshit more than you think, so if you're honest and do your thing, people can tell.

That's the end of our interview. What are you doing for the rest of the day?

I've got a bunch more interviews. I'm eating some wedges. I'm then going to a restaurant with my family and friends to celebrate my album being released. I'm gonna drink some champagne then go home, play Mario Kart and fall asleep.

Sounds like the perfect day. Thanks Ladyhawke.

Hear and find out more at www.myspace.com/ladyhawkerock