Green Hotel, Kinross, November 18

She’s best known for duetting with Elton John, but it’s a longer-standing collaboration that’s liberated Kiki Dee.

The Bradford-born singer signed to Sir Elton’s Rocket Records in the early 1970s, with the pair achieving worldwide success with their No 1 single, Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, in 1976.

However, it’s her partnership with guitarist Carmelo Luggeri that’s seen her songwriting talent fulfil its potential.

Since teaming up for 1995 live set Almost Naked, the duo have co-penned three well-received studio albums, with a fourth in the pipeline.

“The problem we used to have was people came along expecting to see a retro show,” says Kiki.

“That’s part of the reason why I go out as Kiki with Carmelo because it tells people it’s not me doing a lot of songs from the ’70s, it’s a mix of material.

“I still love singing Amoureuse and Loving And Free – they’re great fun. What’s difficult in music is that in 40 or 50 years you change as a person, but I’ve finally found a little niche that I’m comfortable in.”

Kiki, who was the first white British artist signed by Motown, says the pair thrive on musical exploration.

“We usually stumble across an idea, but there’s no one way of writing for us,” she explains.

“Everything under the sun’s already been said, so we try to make it as fresh and creative as possible.”

Kiki, 71, last played Kinross two years ago on a series of dates captured on a new live album, with ticket sales on her latest acoustic tour boosted by a turn on a recent one-off revival of BBC2’s former flagship music show, The Old Grey Whistle Test.

“It’s been going really well,” she reveals. “We make sure that we do I’ve Got The Music In Me and a different version of Don’t Go Breaking My Heart and we put new material and some covers in.

“My only problem is one of mine, Star, is being used on a Christmas ad on TV and I’m being asked to sing it, but it’s quite a hard one to do in an acoustic show. It all helps though. I’ll be able to buy a few drinks when I get my performance royalties!”

Kiki stays in touch with her mentor Elton, and hopes to join him on his epic farewell tour. “I’m hoping I’ll get invited to do Don’t Go Breaking My Heart on the UK leg because we’re not really going to get a lot of opportunity to perform it again,” she says.

“It’s always great fun to work with him because he’s one of the funniest people I know and he really gets the fact that I’ve gone off to do my own thing. He’s a very special man.”

mundellmusic.com