Ms Dynamite aka Niomi McLean-Daley spoke to today's Observer in the run-up to a summer full of festival appearances, as she relaunches her performing career.

Dynamite said: "Yeah I'm ready. I want the new stuff to be the biggest and best that it can possibly be. Up until now, it's been about me finding my feet again and making my space, but now ... I'm ready to take it as far as it can go."

Ms Dnamite's foray into the music business was by chance as McLean-Daley was handed a microphone at a house party and just started rapping. A friend told someone who worked for a local radio station and 'Ms Dynamite' was born.

In 2002, a major label released her debut album and three months later she won the coveted Mercury music prize.

Speaking of the change of fortune, Ms Dynamite said: 

"One day, I was living in a hostel, going to college and on jobseeker's allowance," she recalls. "The next, I was walking into my local newsagent and seeing my name and face splashed all over the papers. It was as quick as that."

The MC may not have been in the public attention for the last few years but she has been busy behind the scenes, working with the likes of Labrinth.

'Neva Soft' her new single will be released by Dynamic Ventures on July 18. This summer she will perform at Rock Ness, Glastonbury, Lovebox and Bestival. 

Listen to 'Neva Soft' below: