As he launches his new album Looking Glass at Concorde 2 tomorrow, Worthing-born and Brighton-based singer songwriter Paul Diello talks about camp synth pop and voodoo dolls.

“When I was a kid, me and my brother had loads of characters we acted out. Some of them were pop stars and so we wrote the songs they would sing. I started writing a bit more seriously when I was around 16.

“I’ve grown up listening to so many different artists and I’m pretty obsessive about the acts that I really love. Early loves were the folky sounds of Suzanne Vega, Simon And Garfunkel and Joni Mitchell. Then I fell in love with 1980s synth pop such as Depeche Mode, Alison Moyet, Erasure, Bronski Beat. I guess my sound is a mixture of whimsical folk and camp synth pop!

“I wanted a bigger sound than the acoustic simplicity of the first album and Pepper was the perfect producer for this. He really climbed inside the songs and understood what they needed more than I could have hoped for.

“[Latest single] (I Am A) Voodoo Doll was the first song I wrote for the album and it was the first track we recorded. Voodoo is such a departure from my last album which was primarily acoustic so I wanted to show people I’m back and I’ve got new things to say.

“I’m spending time in the USA and Germany next year touring and writing and working with some producers. I can’t imagine ever stopping making music. I’ll be doing this forever.”

Paul Diello joins Juice 107.2 FM presenter Guy Lloyd and Gogglebox’s Stephen and Chris for Celebrity Bingo at Concorde 2, in Madeira Drive, Brighton on Saturday, September 13, from 7pm. Tickets cost £5 with proceeds going to the Sussex MS Treatment Centre. Also on the bill are X Factor stars Kitten And The Hip and Bloco Branco. Call 01273 673311.

Find out more: www.pauldiello.com www.facebook.com/pauldiellomusic