By Anita Kazmierczak in Adelaide

Being the girlfriend of Hollywood's current hottest property cannot be easy.

But for Danielle Spencer, the publicity surrounding her relationship with Russell Crowe is doing wonders for her blossoming singing career.

On a promotional tour around Australia showcasing songs from her debut album, Spencer is trying to play down her connection with Crowe, while coming to terms with sudden fame.

"I'm getting used to it," she told BBC News Online. "It's a part of who I am at the moment, it seems. It's the kind of fallout of the relationship I'm having."

Spencer and Crowe: Ready for an Oscars outing

Aussie soaps have long been a training ground for pop stars. Neighbours spawned Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Craig McLachlan and Natalie Imbruglia.

Spencer also has a background in soap, albeit the more trashy late-night, sex and sun show Pacific Drive.

Her debut album White Monkey was released to warm reviews, but cool sales in September last year.

Spencer wrote all the songs, with Massive Attack and Portishead among her influences. Her strong vocal style and piano skills are not unlike those of Tori Amos.

Since partnering Crowe at the Golden Globe Awards in January, press and public interest in the former soap star has reached massive proportions in Australia.

Attention

Pictures of the couple constantly grace the front pages of tabloids and covers of women's magazines.

"I was aware of the fact that that would probably happen and I'm just trying to deal with it as best I can," she says. "That's all I can do."

"America's got so many huge movie stars and Russell gets a certain amount of attention, whereas over here he's our biggest star, so people are really focused on him," said Spencer.

"I understand all the interest and I really am just trying to take it in my stride and deal with it as it comes."

Her album was mixed by UK engineer Andy Bradfield, who has also worked with Madonna and Everything But The Girl and Spencer is confident of a UK release soon.

"I would love to get something out in the UK, because I've lived there half my childhood," she said.

"My mother's English, my grandparents are there and my cousins and all of that, so I've got a lot of loyalty to the UK."

But for now, after her current promotional tour, Spencer's next public appearance will be at the Academy Awards - alongside Crowe.