Child prodigy LeAnn Rimes' talent has never come in to question, but as The Yorkshire Times found out via a torrent of Twitter abuse last week, her popularity has.

Having stormed to global super-stardom with her 1997 Platinum hit 'How Do I Live', Rimes has become a victim of her own personal life. And having married backing dancer Dean Sheremet at the age of 18, LeAnn Rimes' wholesome image was shattered when in 2009, when she met and fell in love with her 'Northern Lights' co-star Eddie Cibrian.

While chastised for doing the dirty on Dean by the public, it was causing the break-up of Cibrian's marriage to former model Brandi Glanville (with whom he has two children) that really caused a venomous backlash.

Though 'Spitfire' is not Rimes' first release post-backlash, it is a far more intimate insight into the woman behind the artist than 2011's sensational, critically acclaimed covers collection 'Lady & Gentlemen'.



With Rimes declaring it her coming-of-age release, The Yorkshire Times jumped at the chance to have a quick chat with Rimes about coping with the constant criticism and her hopes for future.

'It has been over four years now, so everyone has moved on. I have a really great life," chirrups a content Rimes. Far from downbeat and distressed by being subjected to constant abuse by loyal fans of her husband's ex, Rimes is aware that, though occasionally troubled by tabloids, she is in a good place.

She is happily married, constantly creative and in demand as a performer.

While there is a slight hint of sadness as she utters, 'things will never be the same,' she counter-balances the realisation with 'but out of it all came a really great record.'

With her UK fans being treated to her twelfth studio album over a month ahead of her US fans, she reveals that while 'Spitfire' is a big statement album, she had not realised at the outset what exactly she wished to say. 'It really wasn't anything I ever felt the need to do. It was not about the need to explain certain situations but I was open to writing about myself. When I wrote 'Borrowed', I realised the depths to which I was willing to go.'

Though Rimes has channelled her own personal experiences into her composition and delivery previously, it is clear that 'Borrowed', which deals very touchingly with falling in love with another woman's husband, comes from the very core of her being.



While the tabloids paint a picture of a bitter battle between Rimes and Glanville, the overpowering sense of apology and all-encompassing loving feeling that 'Borrowed' captures are far from Rimes' attempt to escape the guilt of her situation. Having written the song once she 'come out of the other side' of the emotional journey, she admits to having 'carried the title around for 8 months before I was able to write what I wanted to say. 'Borrowed' allowed to confront a sticky situation, which is good for me, as I don't like confronting a situation head on.'

With 'Borrowed', her proudest moment on 'Spitfire', having proved a strength and integrity of depth as writer that even she was unaware she was capable, Rimes admits that 'Borrowed' proved 'that nothing was off limits'.

Aware of the personal direction her new record was taking, she opted to allow her creative juices flow, but often found that there were external influences that shaped her output.

She admits, 'there were moments when tabloid articles really pissed me off, and so a song would come out of it.' While at times she found herself surrounded by the begging question, 'Is it too honest? Am I being too personal?', she realised that by writing 'Borrowed' she had bought herself the opportunity to 'have the truth told in songs.'

'I have opened a whole new door. I am not just telling stories, I am actually laying it out there. People relate to honesty. I just felt like I didn't have anything to lose. People have written my life for me for four years, now it is my chance to say what happened.'

Though the intensity of the backlash may have cooled, allowing Rimes to close a very difficult chapter, it is clear to see why 'Spitfire' is deemed a coming of age. While many questioned a fifteen year olds capability to fully understand the depth of emotion attached to her hit single 'How Do I Live', 'Spitfire' is the direct result of experience. Though the super lovely star graciously accepts the constant press attacks as part of her job, she notes, 'some people expect people in the spotlight not to be human. It is rather sad, but some people love to see people fall as it makes them feel better about their own lives.
There was a lot of anger and hostility, but they did not know the real situation. I have to say it did all take me back.'

'People have handled it all differently.' With Rimes an open book, it does not seem unfair to ask whether the spurning response she received related only to her home fans, or whether her affair has prompted a reaction worldwide. With her husband currently filming in Canada, Rimes notes that the USA's neighbours have welcomed her 'with open arms', while rave reviews for her performance at C2C at the O2 Arena demonstrate that her British fans are still standing strong.

While Rimes was clearly blown away by the reaction to her appearance at C2C, she recalls, 'my UK tour was my favourite that I have ever done. The one thing I really noticed is that you appreciate great music - people did not just know my singles, they had really dug into my records.'

With another UK tour, which sadly skips Yorkshire, scheduled for September, Rimes is clearly as enamoured with the British public as they are with her. 'I feel lucky that you have appreciated my talent, that it is not about the tabloid crap that has been made up for me. I hope it gets back to that in the States. I think the tide is turning.'

With the tide turning once again in her favour, Rimes is ready to ensure her career continues on a healthy path. She admits, 'I do have a plan,' before conceding, 'but at the same time, I have learned that plans do not necessarily manifest themselves the same way as they do in my head. This is my last album for the record label I have been with since I was 11 and so I am having a lot of meetings about what steps I want to take next.' Though insistent that music is still her focus, she concedes 'that landscape has changed a lot since I was 11.



I have had a fantastic time, but this is a turning point. I am learning about myself, musically. I am one of a very few people who have had this career this long, so I am cautious but careful.'

Having tried her luck as both an actress and novelist, Rimes certainly has a wealth of creativity to call upon when it comes to career decisions. But before we take a brief look at the the future, a sentimental Rimes notes that her greatest personal career achievement to date, 'Spitfire' aside, was her 2007 album release 'Family'. 'Though it was not a huge hit, a lot of people were touched by the record. Other than this record, this is my proudest moment. I achieved all of my intentions with the record.'

Though forays into acting and writing are set to continue, Rimes admits that music is at her very core. Though she will not reveal what plans she has in terms of recorded projects, she states 'music will always be on my agenda. When I was little all I wanted to do was sing, I didn't want to be famous. If you put me on the stage with a microphone, then I am happy. I sing everywhere, everyday.'

With an X Factor judge having already made audiences aware that he is a fan of LeAnn Rimes, could one of her ambitions involve a judging role on a certain TV talent show's panel? 'I'd be open to it,' Rimes admits immediately, 'if it was the right thing and the right time. It is the mentoring more than the judging that appeals to me, I have a wealth of knowledge I could pass on.'

You might also like to read our previous article LeAnn Rimes - Spitfire