LITTLE BOOTS: She's the reel deal!

Pop's hottest property doesn't do drugs, diets or diva demands - no wonder Little Boots has the world at her feet

Piano playing at five, songwriting at 13, booted off Pop Idol at 16 and now, aged 25, she's at the top of the new wave of Brit pop. Little Boots, aka Victoria Hesketh, is being hailed as the next big thing and has an army of celeb fans - Kylie "adores" her, she goes clubbing with Katy Perry and Kanye West rates her music video.

Born and raised in Blackpool, Little Boots - Vic to her friends - won the BBC's Sound Of 2009 back in January and has been dubbed the one to watch this year. All that plus moving from Lancashire to a trendy flat in east London, and being loved-up with hot music journo boyfriend Jamie Hodgson, makes her one lucky lady.

The pint-sized star admits to having plenty of skeletons in her closet, but says she doesn't have regrets. Nicknamed Little Boots because of her teeny tootsies, she spills the beans on the love of her life, body image and girl-on-girl action...

"I am who I am. I love life and my songs are about having fun. My message is that if you're not happy, change your life. I'm not out to be too cool for school. I'd love to be really mainstream - what's the problem with that? I don't think of myself as a star at all.

I get stressed and bawl my eyes out. I'm not complaining, but my life is a roller coaster. I'm flying all over the world, which is brilliant, but sometimes I burst out crying because I want everything to stop. Then I get hold of myself and tell myself how lucky I am! I really miss my family and Blackpool. I had my first weekend off in ages recently, so I went straight home and ate a roast dinner so big it would have fed three grown men.

I won't diet on demand. I'm a size 6-8, but in photo shoots the sample-size clothes often don't fit. It's horrible when the stylist's trying to pull the zip up and it won't go - it makes me feel fat and awful. It's easy to start getting in a real state about it and put massive pressure on myself, but I try to eat healthily.

Victoria rocking on stage at G-A-Y

It's important not to stress about how you look. Women can get over-obsessed about their appearance. When I was in LA, girls hung around the hotel pool looking like skeletons in bikinis wearing big shades. Apparently, that was the 'hot' look. I wrote a song afterwards called Skeleton Girl to remind myself to keep everything in perspective.

I don't need to be a party girl to be accepted. I know Peaches Geldof because she asked to interview me for a magazine, but I'm not one of her mates. I'm not a party girl. I'd never go to London clubs like Bungalow 8 - the idea makes me cringe. Plus, I don't have enough designer gear to fit in. I'm a high-street and charity-shop girl. It's not what your outfit costs, it's the way you put it together that counts.

Drugs aren't my thing. I'm surrounded by loads of them, but they've never interested me. At school I was a swot so I didn't smoke - that can lead to weed and then doing pills. That's just not me. I can't be in a room with smoke in it because it knackers my voice. I do like a drink though! I've got some celebrity fans and that's really exciting. When I was in LA recently, Kanye West came to see my show and afterwards said he loved my video for New In Town. Another time I went clubbing with Perez Hilton and Katy Perry. She was great and we drank a bit of vodka - actually, quite a lot. I'm a huge fan and she told me she loved my music.

I've kissed a girl. At the NME Awards party this year, I was dancing on the tables with Florence from Florence And The Machine when she kissed me. I didn't kiss her back and there were no tongues. The picture of us kissing appeared everywhere, which was pretty embarrassing. I don't think Florence would give a hoot, but it's not something I'd make a habit of doing.

With her man Jamie

I couldn't cope with this life without my boyfriend. Jamie's the most gorgeous man I've ever met. He's the love of my life. A lot of guys would find it difficult going out with someone who's constantly working, but he's chilled. We've been going out for a year but it's been like a dog year - lots rolled into one.

Trust what you know. Jamie tells me that all the time. He's so right. Without him, I'd have lost my mind. I sometimes look at him and think: 'How did I get so lucky?' I can't imagine being with anyone else."

Little Boots' debut album Hands is out now. Visit Littlebootsmusic.co.uk for details of her gigs.

PHOTOGRAPHY: CABLE IMAGE, WIREIMAGE HAIR: KLARE WILKINSON MAKE-UP: JAMES O'REILLY AT PREMIER STYLING: ANGIE SMITH (ANGIESMITH.CO.UK) VICTORIA WEARS: TOP, H&M; SKIRT, POLTOCK & WALSH; SHOES, TERRY DE HAVILLAND; JEWELLERY: KABIRI.CO.UK

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