Lady Sov: I'm an icon - April 20 2007
Lady Sovereign has revealed she thinks she has reached icon status in the UK, despite not enjoying the chart success she gets in America.

The 21-year old rapper said: "In the UK, I'm well known, everyone knows my face but I'm not exactly successful. But then success comes in lots of different shapes and forms, I'm a bit of an icon.

"But I can't complain, because once you start complaining then people don't like you for it."

Sov, who is signed to US star Jay-Z's Def Jam label, said that although her success in the US was "unreal", she won't stop until she has cracked the world.

"Success anywhere means a lot to me. I want to conquer everywhere, I want fans everywhere."

The pint-sized star, whose new single Those Were The Days is out now, added that the song was a nostalgic look back at her younger days on a rough London estate.

Sov recovering from ’stress’ - April 16 2007
Petite rapper Lady Sovereign has admitted that "stress" caused her to cancel two gigs on her current UK tour.

The 21-year-old said sold out shows in Glasgow and Birmingham earlier this week had to be postponed so she could recover, after touring and promotion had worn her out.

"I might not seem it now, but I’m stressed, I’m exhausted, I’m mentally drained, so for my own good I just need to take time off and sort myself out cos otherwise I won’t be going anywhere fast."

Speaking before last night’s T Mobile Street Gig at Leeds indoor go-karting track, Sov said she was getting her strength back, but that it was difficult to explain what she was going through.

"Some people won’t understand that until they’re in my shoes," she said.

Her new single Those Were The Days comes out on Monday. Next she’ll be completing a tour of the UK and Europe, and at the end of the month, she’s due to join Gwen Stefani on a tour of the US.

Lady Sovereign’s hopes for Jay-Z - April 11 2007
He may have chosen her for his Def Jam label but Lady Sovereign admits that currently she has no plans to work with hip-hop mogul Jay-Z - but she would never rule it out.

"Never say never, do you know what I mean?" the 21-year-old smiles wryly.

"If I was to work with Jay-Z, it would be on my terms. I wouldn’t have someone tell me what to do anyway. I’d love to see him do something out of his comfort zone, with my kind of beats, and see what he can bring to it rather than his standard rapping. It’d be my kind of thing, with my quirkiness."

Other musicians she would like to work with include Andre 3000 from OutKast and an old name.

"I love Andre 3000 - I think he’s beautiful as well. Also, Poly Styrene from X-ray Spex, an old punk band. I don’t think she makes music any more so that’s not ever gonna happen. I might have to do a sample instead or do it myself."

Lady Sovereign’s new single, Those Were The Days, is out on April 16. Her album, Public Warning, is out now.

Lily and Lady - sibling rivalry? - Feb 23 2007
It seems the claws are out in the slanging match between Lady Sovereign and Lily Allen - with Lily apparently making a sarcastic offer of sisterhood to the pint-sized rapper.

Lady, 21, had claimed Lily, also 21, has only been able to find success because of her actor dad Keith Allen, The Sun reports.