‘Getting married at 50 is... well, I’ve never done things the right way round’

She always prides herself on “dancing to her own tune”, but Sharleen Spiteri has much to celebrate as she turns 50 in November. Her band Texas have sold 40 million records since first entering the charts in 1989 – and they still sell out their tours and release acclaimed albums.

She counts designer Stella McCartney and singers Chrissie Hynde and Madonna among her pals. She is mum to daughter Misty Kyd, 14, from a previous relationship. And, perhaps most exciting of all, she is preparing to marry chef Bryn Williams, 40, next year.

“Getting married at 50 is... well, I’ve never done things the right way round,” she chuckles.

“It feels right to do it now. I did say to Bryn, ‘How come it took you so bloody long to ask me?’, but he just laughed. That was his answer.”

Despite her good fortune, Sharleen is conscious of the clock ticking on her magnificent career.

“Sometimes you haven’t been on stage for a while and you run up and down and suddenly go ‘holy s***’,” she confesses. “I’m a lazy b ***** d so I don’t work out. But you suddenly realise you aren’t 22 years old any more, you wake up in the bunk in the morning and your body hurts a wee bit more.”

Texas have already celebrated 25 years together but Sharleen doesn’t foresee a Rolling Stones-style half-century celebration coming up.

“It will come to an end at some point. I’m good with that, when I’m done, I’m done. At the moment that time’s not here. There are a couple of things in the diary for 2019 but after that, who knows?”

In the meantime, there are still milestones to be chalked up, and one came a few months ago when Texas were invited to play for Barack Obama in Edinburgh.

“He was amazing and totally charming,” smiles Sharleen. “With certain people that are really famous it’s ‘Hi, hello’ and that’s it. But he engaged, he was right there. He seemed so genuine and really cool.

“He was funny too. As I walked off he said ‘Nice kicks’. I chuckled, I thought that’s a moment – President Obama admiring my trainers!”

Tour starts Sept 11, St David’s Hall, Cardiff.