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I spoke to Paloma Faith as she was sitting in her palace in the clouds. At least, that's where she told me she was.
"I could've said anything," she said over the phone from Cloud Palace, or London if you prefer.
"I think you should put that I'm in my palace in the clouds, though."
I know what you're thinking: She's either extremely imaginative or a loony.
Whatever it is, Paloma (which means "dove" in Spanish) is certainly riding high, at any rate. Her debut album, Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful, was a Top 10 hit in Britain, and it's attained Top 40 status in Europe.
She started writing for the album about five years ago, but the content is actually a pointed barb at today's societal urge to get to the bottom of things and not let their imagination fly.
"I feel quite disappointed with contemporary culture. There are no icons anymore because we have no mystery. And I think we're always trying to unveil the underbelly. Like when I was a magician's assistant, people always asked me: 'How did you make that happen?' We don't have that imagination to allow that innocence. We know too many things and it makes us cynical."
But surely knowledge isn't bad?
"I think there's a time and place for everything. You need balance. Imagination is a wonderful thing."
Speaking of imagination, she's also acting in Terry Gilliam's upcoming movie, The Imaginarium Of Dr Parnassus. "It was amazing! I've always admired him and been inspired by his films, so I was very lucky! I found it a pleasure and Terry was always funny and laughing."
Singer, actress, magician's assistant: If you said Paloma Faith has done it all, you'd probably be right.
"I was a ghost in a ghost train once," she said. "And I have a Masters degree in directing theatre. I'm an experience junkie. If you asked me to go on a hot-air balloon, I'd say yes. That's why I've done so many strange and bizarre things."
Going on tour then ought to be a snap. However, she said life in the limelight is still quirky to her. "When people ask me for my autographs and want to take pictures, because I'm not used to that, it's all still new to me. I find it all a bit bizarre."
"Bizarre" is probably what some might describe her live show, simply because the audience doesn't know what she might do next.
"I do hope people will get up and dance to the music. When I'm on stage I'm on, you know. It's as much visual as it is sonic. I don't like it when they stand still and stare. Because I'm always coming up with some weird thing; they don't expect it and they stand still and go: 'Oh my god'."
Whether people think she's weird or not probably won't derail her much. Her philosophy, she said, is "to be ever changing and always challenging yourself to do new things".
Well, looks like we certainly can expect more from her in the future. Christopher Toh
Paloma Faith's Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful is out in stores now. - TODAY/ra
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