Having made her last album Mayhem in 2010 Imelda May spent the next three years on the road as it gradually made its way across the world from her native Ireland.

That hard work has paid off, as its eagerly awaited follow-up Tribal scaled the top of the Irish charts and broke the UK top three on its April release.

“I’m delighted the album has done so well,” she says as she prepares to play Love Supreme this weekend. “We’re straight back to where we left off.”

This was despite some time off for May to have baby Violet, with her touring guitarist husband Darrel Higham. The family are now together on the road, with May describing herself as “mummy by day and Imelda May by night”.

“She’s my priority and she’s doing really well,” says May. “I’m like every other working mother – absolutely knackered but very happy I can bring her with me and not have to leave her in daycare. I love being a mother, and Violet has changed my life, but we’re still rocking out and doing my thing. I didn’t want to write an album of lullabies.”

May ended up writing more songs than were needed for Tribal – but she feels the album is stronger as a result.

“We were road-testing the songs for the album before we recorded them,” she says. “We picked the songs that sat best together.”

Tribal was also the first album May had co-produced, having previously been wholly responsible for her recorded output.

She brought on Jake Bugg collaborator Mike Crossey to help create a “more basic but bigger” sound.

“I wanted to record it as live, to capture that live feel when you’re gigging and going crazy,” she says.

“We always record it live first with the bass and drums, then replace bits and pieces to capture the best sound. I’m very happy with it – I wanted to get that adrenaline on there.”

It reflects how she regards her band – as a touring band rather than a studio one.

“Some bands would be happy in the studio just doing short tours,” she says. “I want to go out to as many people as possible, to play live to them.

“My dream was to be a full-time musician with a long career - I wanted to be a touring musician and not need another job to support myself.”

The only downside of a life on the road is the impact it has on song-writing.

“I have to have time off to daydream and write,” she says. “I like to let my mind wander. It’s hard to daydream when you’re on the road, touring and doing gigs every night. There isn’t time to sit looking out of the window – you’re doing television, radio and interviews.”

It looks like Violet may follow her mother’s footsteps.

“She’s already into music – she complains if there’s no music on,” says May. “When she wants her music she’s very vocal about it. Whatever she wants to do in life as long as she finds her passion and works hard at whatever she loves that’s fine by me.

“I’m not going to push her into music, although she’s already singing with perfect tone and timing. It’s not a surprise - I toured until I was seven months pregnant, so she’s had it since she’s been in the womb!”

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

Love Supreme tickets from £55/£30 day, £110 weekend. Visit <&bh"http://www.lovesupremefestival.com