The first track on your album Honey is soulful and sultry, was there a motive to do a song like that?
I like music to be sexy – that’s something I’m really passionate about. I grew up on Faith Evans and Mary J Blige and Jill Scott. People see a woman being sexy as a negative thing but being sexy and feeling sexy is amazing. It’s about owning it, about being in control, not vulnerable.

Do you think there’s enough diversity in music – whether that’s in gender, race, sexuality…?
I would like to think so. The great thing about the world where I come from is we’ve never really waited for anything; we’ve just done it. When I made my first album, I wasn’t signed, I wasn’t anything. I’m from a world where people just get sh*t done. You want to do something, just go and do it.

You’ve always been part of the grime scene. It’s a genre that’s really exploded this year, can you see why?
I think it’s that thing that we were bubbling underground for so long. Everything goes in waves. I think it’s like the punk music of our generation. It’s something people make themselves, you can’t hold it down.

How do you make sure you stay relevant?
I love going out and I love raving. I was out at the weekend with my friends and we love it. None of us have settled down yet or had kids. The other day my friend asked: “What are you up to?” and I was like, “Oh I’m just jamming with my friend” and he replied, “No-one says jamming any more Katy”. And I thought, “Oh my god I’m using vintage slang, I’m not down with the kids any more”.

What riles you and your friends?
You know what I think is annoying? That everything is online now. I feel like sometimes it’s my job to live my life online rather than my real life. It’s important as well though I think.... People are looking for news, instantly. There’s no ‘do it later’. I feel jealous of people from the Sixties [laughs]; they were just living their 20s and not having to worry about that stuff.

A big concern right now is how young people are getting priced out of London as they can’t afford to live there. Is that something that bothers you?
Yes! Basically you’ve got to have no joy in your life and stay in if you ever want to think about buying a place. Everyone I know has had help from their parents and if you can’t do that I don’t know what you’d do.

Are you in any way political?
A little bit, I know I’m getting older because I’m getting more into politics. When I listen to the radio I want to listen to LBC and Radio 4 – I love Woman’s Hour. Sometimes I don’t want music, I want a conversation.

Do you have any thoughts on the EU referendum?
No, I wish I did. I keep listening to people’s arguments and thinking, ‘Oh that’s interesting’, but I forget I’m one of the people who will be voting. I will vote but I’ll leave [my decision] to the last minute.

You’ve grown up in London, what do you love about it?
There’s always something to do, but sometimes it gets overwhelming, you get proper FOMO. Growing up in London and growing up with so many different types of people makes you realise that everyone is different but we’re all trying to get along and we all have the same wants.

Could you ever live elsewhere?
Growing up, I was like, “I’m going to have a farm and grow my own veg and live the good life,” but now when I go anywhere for two weeks I’m dying to get back here. I have a romantic idea of living in the countryside.

You once said you couldn’t be creative if you’re overworked, do you feel like you’ve found that balance?
Definitely. I used to feel guilty not working. But now I’ve realised that being able to not use my voice, recording all day, getting to the point where you can’t do your job properly, you need to take a step back. I love yoga and I recently did a meditation course at the London Buddhist Centre – although I need to practise.

Are you spiritual?
I guess so. I remember reading The Colour Purple at school. In that, Alice Walker believes that the trees are God and nature is God and I remember thinking, ‘That’s what I am’.

Do you read much now?
I tried to start a book club, we’ve only managed to do one book – Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Now we’re doing To Kill A Mockingbird but we haven’t really finished it so it’s been dragging on. It’s just getting everyone together, isn’t it?

What makes you emotional? Are you open with your tears?
Yes! I cried at First Dates the other day because there’s that genuine thing that people like each other, there’s hope – I used to get upset watching Blind Date because they never got on. I once cried watching Strictly [laughs] when they were dancing to Jar Of Hearts – the lyrics just got to me.

“I just get stuff done”: Katy B on working with women, living in London, and starting a book club