When it comes to proper-bucket-list artists you just have to see live, Tori Kelly's up there. Fresh off the back of the release of her Inspired by True Events album, California-born Tori is bringing her latest show to our shores; with her unmistakable vocal chops set to please fans from Birmingham to Berlin.
And since we're huge fans of the 27-year-old, who's already worked with our very own Ed Sheeran and Professor Green, we thought we'd better catch up with her for a chat ahead of the gigs. Any excuse for a chinwag with a fancy popstar-type, eh?
Tori's been in the game a while and - with a few albums under her oh-so-accomplished belt - it must be pretty difficult to whittle down the setlist and cull a couple of songs, right?
"Getting out on stage is definitely an emotional rollercoaster," she tells us. "Performing the new album, mixed with some of those older songs, is really fun and it truly takes me on a ride.
"There are certain venues and festivals with cut-off times, so it’s always a challenge to get everything in there. I’m a big fan of a medley, though; squeezing in as many songs as I possibly can.
"Right now, one of my favourite tracks to perform based on the reactions I’ve had already is Coffee. It’s a fan favourite – I get requests for that a lot."
WATCH: Tori performs Coffee live from Capitol Studios
Asked if there's one track from her back catalogue she'd take with her to every show (we like to hit 'em with the difficult questions), Tori says: "That’s so, so hard. It’s funny, because a lot of artists end up disliking their first single because they have to play it so many times, but I still really like Nobody Love.
"It’s got everything you want for a live show; the chorus the crowd can sing along to, the big note at the end."
A CLASSIC, babes.
And it seems that, despite touring the actual entire world, Tori holds a paritcularly-soft spot for London.
"There’s always something that sticks out about the UK, and I’m not just saying this," she tells us. "It was probably around 2012, and I hadn’t put out a real body of work yet. My EPs hadn’t even been released. It was my first show out in London, and I couldn’t believe it. I was like ‘wait, people out here know my music?’ That was all from YouTube alone, and that first Shepherd’s Bush Hall show still stands out to me. My setlist was mostly covers and we purposely went back there once the album was out.
"The loyalty out there and the appreciation for a girl with a guitar is amazing. I’m so looking forward to coming back."
Any chance of a shiny new collab with a UK artist while she's over here, then? "Sam Smith and I have always teased working together," Tori teases.
"I’ve opened for them before and we’re label buddies out in the US, so that would be a fun one. I’m a huge fan of them. Gosh, I also love Jessie J; there would be some singing on that one. Ed Sheeran I already have a track with, but I’d love to work with him again. He’s amazing. Maybe all three on one song?"
Now that is one collab we need in our lives. Stat.
Tori's album Inspired by True Events is out now and it's BRILLIANT. Go check it out, yeah?