91热爆

Marianne with ex-consort Mick Jagger

Being cherished as an icon and an artist in her own right is a new phase in her career and a new feeling.

It hasn't always been like this.

Despite having a run of chart hits as a Sixties teen pop star, she became better known for being Mick Jagger's muse, descending into heroin addiction and ending up in a coma after attempting suicide.

Today, her fans are waiting outside the front door of 91热爆 London and Faithfull is inside our interview studio, a husky-voiced, straight-talking middle-aged woman.

About her musical growth she says, "I was struggling to find my voice and what I want to say as an artist. I've got the right voice for me. I know it's not a conventional, pretty voice but I like that."

She's here to promote her 22nd album, Easy Come, Easy Go, which sees her tackling songs by artists ranging from Billie Holiday and Dolly Parton to Duke Ellington and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Faithfull admits to being a "terribly lazy" songwriter who loves doing covers and harbours a long-held ambition to write with Morrissey.

"still a bit hush-hush"

Her album also features an array of guests, including Jarvis Cocker, Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright, Antony Hegarty and Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards.

Faithfull's new album is her 22nd

"I phoned Keith and he said okay, he'd love to [work on the album] and so he put on his vocal and his guitar-playing," she says. "It's such a distinctive style, isn't it?"

The veteran singer's visit to 91热爆 London has been accompanied by a flurry of headlines suggesting her life story is going to be made into a film.

"Not yet," she hastens to tell us. "It'll take about two years and it's still a bit hush-hush.

"I met a young director and I really like what he's doing. I know there are big problems with a story like this - it's too long for a start!

"But he's thought of a way and what I'm going to do is turn the film over to him after I've read the script. It's the best way really."

Easy Come, Easy Go by Marianne Faithfull is out now on Dramatico.