Robyn's album went to number one in Sweden in 2005 Konichiwa Bitches

She last entered the UK charts nine years ago with Show Me Love, which she co-wrote with Baby One More Time composer Max Martin.

But disagreements with her record company meant Robyn's subsequent albums were only released in her native Sweden.

The singer talks about her struggle to make her new album, Robyn, which has been hailed by the NME as "the most inventive pop album of the year".

Where have you been for the last 10 years?

My first record was released here and it did very well in the States, too. But the next two records were very different and my record company in America thought I was crazy.

They said: "Why don't you just do what Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears are doing? They're doing so well." And I totally understand that, but I wanted to do my own thing, and it meant I made two records that they didn't release.

A lot of people would have given up at that point.

I probably could have done, but then this idea of starting my own record company came about and it was really my salvation. It totally made it possible for me to make pop music but make it on my own terms.

The singer's theatrical background is reflected in her videos

The record doesn't sound like a lot of other pop albums. Is it important to you to create something that sounds unique?

That's what pop music is supposed to be. It's supposed to be modern. It's supposed to describe the present time. And so it's natural that it's always pushing boundaries. But the most important thing to me is the songs.

The album's first single, Konichiwa Bitches, includes a lot of tongue-in-cheek boasts, such as "I'll count you out like a mathematician". What inspired the lyrics?

I grew up with hip-hop and I've always been fascinated by that classic hip-hop theme of you being the best and everyone else being stupid and they suck.

But of course I'm not Biggie, so I can't go talking about drugs and guns. I need to speak about what's relevant to me. So that's how Konichiwa Bitches came about.

You have also covered Prince's Jack U Off. Of all the hundreds of Prince songs, why that one?

You can't cover Purple Rain - it's impossible! Jack U Off is a great song because it's unpretentious and it's funny. You know, people think Prince is weird but he's not. He's very on point with people's inner relationships. I think that's his genius.

You're a big star in Sweden. Is it strange to come over here and play small-scale club gigs?

Not at all - I really enjoy myself. I feel totally cool with being a debut artist. I'm glad that people don't know my other records, because it means I can start over.

Robyn named her record label after the song Konichiwa Bitches

And people seem to know all the words already...

I think there are a lot of Swedish people there! But I'm totally excited about the chance I'm getting to have contact with my fans.

Because I have my record label now it's all very direct and organic. The last show was 200 people and now it's 300 people. I'm really enjoying it.

What's the strangest haircut you've ever had?

My mother used to shave my head when I was a little girl. She thought it would make my hair grow thicker but it never did. It's always been thin and Swedish.

And, because my name is a boy's name in Sweden, when I met people with my shaved head I'd have to say: "My name's Robyn but I'm a girl!"

If you were made Prime Minister, what would you do first?

That's a hard question... I would probably try to deal with the energy issue. It's something I've been interested in for years.

Sweden is quite a green country but no-one is independent from fuel and coal and gas resources.

Finally, if you were a household appliance, which one would you be?

I'd be a dishwasher, I think that's a great machine. A time saver.