I choose songs that grip me in some way; and the qualities likely to do that are a good yarn, good tune, in a style that I think I can make work for my voice. Having been out of the music scene for many years I set myself the task last summer of learning a song each week. So I have a repertoire now of about 50+ songs that I would consider to be of performance standard.

It is all about what moves me - if a song does not affect me in some way then I can't envisage it having an impact on an audience.

Looking at the list of songs, there are some themes that emerge. I tend to go for songs that work from a female perspective, and I have deliberately aimed for a range (ballads, some comic songs, some with choruses suitable for singarounds). I see it as bit like building the colours up of a palette. Then when I performance I can compile a suitable set list that will (hopefully) fit the occasion.