Sky Ferreira isn't your usual 18 year old songstress. Rising to fame in the US through Myspace, hard work and sneaking into clubs from age 14, she garnered the interest of Swedish mega-producers Bloodshy & Avant.

She's got a remarkable drive to neither temper her opinions nor present herself as anything other than a real musician; it's almost eerie to see an American female act not being puppeteered by label bosses.

We caught up with Sky in the middle of a hectic promotional tour for upcoming release One, which is so good that even Jedward have been tweeting the lyrics to it.

Comparisons have been made between you and Madonna. With regards to your ambition and drive, are you similar to the Queen of Pop?

"She was definitely empowering. She wasn't a huge feminist, but a lot of females now wouldn't be what they are now without her. She knew what she wanted and I know what I want. I do work very hard and I don't let people boss me around. And when I do get bossed around or forced into something I will make sure everyone knows."

What's the most difficult part of what you do?

"Being gone a lot. It's a good thing to travel, but you never stay put. You can have relationships and friendships but it can be hard. People don't understand how much work it takes, they think it's easy to do 20 interviews and 5 photoshoots in a day, but it takes a lot of thinking if you actually mean what you're saying."  [this is her fourth interview of the day]

What's the best part of what you do?

"I get to create stuff, and my job is what I love. There are so many insane parts of it, it's pretty surreal."

What's the most surreal part of being a popstar?

"It's almost uncomfortable, seeing your face on posters. It wasn't weird in the UK until I heard myself on the radio. You get to meet so many people you've either heard of or really admire, or really don't admire. I've been to so many random parts of the world. I grew up in California and then I went to Belgium; I wouldn't be doing that if I was at college now."

Sky Ferreira - 17
Uploaded by EMI_Music.

The video for 17 is pretty sexy. Is this something you've decided or did a creepy label man suggest it?

"If someone's going to exploit me, I'd rather it be myself. I enjoy looking nice but I'm not desperately seeking to be a sex symbol. My record company don't tell me to have a sexier image and I'm not doing it to sell more records. The video for 17 tells a story and it's tasteful; it was actually kinda eerie, the bedroom is super teenage American prom queen, like the first Britney Spears Rolling Stone shoot. It wasn't me in a push up bra and short shorts dancing."

Rupert Murdoch is suing Skype because it sounds like 'sky'. Are you worried he'll come after you?

"Who knows. It's funny how certain organisations will go after you, the United Girl Scouts Association sent me hate mail, this angry mom said I'm a terrible example for young girls! They do that to Lady Gaga, too. Like, protest her shows, crazy stuff like that."

With a name like Sky, and you going to clubs from a young age, we're guessing your parents were reasonably laid back…

"My mom's actually pretty high strung and she was strict; I was mostly raised by my grandmother. I wasn't going to sleepovers and I didn't really have many close friends. Going out was a new way for me to meet people. I lied to my mom for a very long time, which is the bad part of it, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do."

Are you worried about what can happen to young female talents on the LA party circuit?

"Going out pretty young can expose you to stuff so you don't have to learn the hard way. I learned a lot and was a bit shocked. I saw kids do drugs, and I met real life older drug addicts which made me not wanna do any of that. Everyone thinks you've gotta go to a nightclub to do hard drugs but I saw a lot more drugs at high school parties. I'm not saying 15 year olds should all go out to clubs, but I've never had a drug problem.

Also, everyone assumes I'm promiscuous because I went to parties. I'm the least promiscuous person I know. I don't get time to date people. It's not really my priority. Sleeping with guys, if there's nothing to it, then it's gross, it's weird. I could never randomly do stuff with someone!"

Sky Ferreira - One
Uploaded by EMI_Music.

Female-fronted Electropop is something of a staple in the UK, do you think you've got a niche in that you're from the US? 

"I think so. I'm influenced by a lot of different things. My record isn't too hard electro and it's also not the same sound everyone uses. Some tracks have no live instruments which makes it a bit weird, the production's pretty intense."

How good friends are you with Katy Perry?

"We're not like best friends. We had mutual friends before I Kissed a Girl was released. I don't have to pretend we're best friends even though everyone wants us to say that."

Are you going to Katy and Russell's wedding?

"No, no no no no, plus it's all the way in India or something, at least that's the rumour."

Your music comes from quite a cerebral place, how far do you genuinely approve of Jedward?

"I like them: they're funny, they're friendly, they're personalities."

Although you're hailed as a Myspace act, do you think all this would've happened had you not been in LA?

"It wouldn't have happened as easy, but if I hadn't have had Myspace I think I would've found a way to make it happen."

How much better, on a scale of 1-10 has Twitter got now that Kanye West's on it?

"I'd say almost like a 9, I mean, Kanye and Bieber talking to each other on Twitter? Mad."

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Sky's favourite sandwich is a cheese grill or a peanut butter and banana combo, but, much to our distaste, she "doesn't like condiments". What a kook. 

One is out now, and you can show her some love via Myspace and Twitter