LUCY Rose’s new album Something’s Changing, out today, was inspired by the songwriter’s recent tour of Latin America. The trip was funded by her South American fans who also housed Rose during her stay. The subsequent album was recorded in Brighton, and an accompanying documentary of the same name will be shown at Duke of York’s next Friday alongside Rose’s gig. The songwriter, 28, spoke to EDWIN GILSON about why the tour made her fall in love with music all over again.

Whenever a musician posts something on Facebook, they are bombarded with requests to perform in various countries. The evident passion of those people must have been a huge factor in your decision to tour Latin America?

Absolutely. A lot of the time musicians just think it’s too hard to do that – it’s a long way away, it’s expensive, it’s hard to get booked. I’m hoping the documentary shows that you can do it, there is a way.

There’s a moment in the documentary when an audience member tells you it’s her first gig. That must have surprised you.

It did, because it was in Buenos Aires where I thought there would be a lot of gigs. When I was in Mexico I was asking young girls about open mic nights, because that’s how I started learning my craft, and I found out there wasn’t a single one. The biggest city in the world and there wasn’t one open mic. A lot of the girls also said it was too dangerous to go out to play them, so they’d be dependent on a man. I never thought about the struggles people face and how lucky we are.

Did the experience reignite your love for music?

One hundred per cent. At the end of the touring for the last record I found myself with a fear of unhappiness. I’d tried so hard and had been made to feel unsuccessful, as though nobody really wanted my music. I got to the point when I thought, when’s the time I’m going to take the hint that nobody gives a damn and I’m not good enough? I was having a real confidence crisis, and then thought I was going to go travelling. I never thought I’d come away thinking I will make another record just for those guys [fans in Latin America].

How do you gauge whether’s it going well or badly for you as a musician?

Facebook likes.

Really?

Well, that’s where we’re at. If you go for radio playlists it’s all about how many people like you on social media. It’s all statistics.

You can see in the documentary how grateful fans were to you. But did that come with pressure, too?

I feel nervous all the time but more so when I feel I’ve got to win people over. You’re always thinking about whether people like the music. But in those kids of environments I felt I had everyone’s 100 per cent support.

Are the songs on the album directly about your experiences in Latin America or more about your own progression, the things you’ve learned?

I wasn’t actually thinking about making a record while I was there – I was soaking up the experience. That’s the beauty of it, I wasn’t thinking about what I wanted to write about. Then I had a week in Mexico at the end of it all and sat in a hut on the beach and digested what I’d done. When I came back to the UK I had a solid base to start from.

Some of your Latin American fans revealed a lot of personal things to you. How did those conversations start?

Mostly in the cue for merchandise. One boy said one of my songs had saved him after his brother was murdered in the crossfire between two cartels. The last song on the record is very much about one person I met who had had a tough life. I was saying goodbye to him but I thought that couldn’t possibly be goodbye, and he was asking how he could go back to reality after that experience.

The boy just said, “write me another album”. I cried pretty much the whole time knowing what people were going through. It’s surreal to think that a song I wrote that I thought nobody cared about but it actually affected some people a lot.

You recorded the album in Brighton. What does the city mean to you?

I bloody love it. My touring band are based there, and everytime I visit I think I need to move there. But also I think I’d be too happy and not get anything done. I had my album’s listening party in the Hand in Hand [pub in Kemp Town]. It’s the best pub in the world.

Lucy Rose, Duke of York’s Picturehouse, Brighton, July 14, 8.30pm, this event is promoted by Dictionary Pudding. For more information visit dictionarypudding.co.uk.