Over the past year she’s had to get used to such plaudits. She featured on Disclosure’s much-loved hit, “Right Here” in 2013; her debut album Glorious was released last May to much fan fare thanks to hits like “Youth”, “Let Go For Tonight” and “Holding Onto Heaven;” and by June, she was personally offered a support slot by Pharrell on his European tour after he heard her strikingly self-assured cover of “Happy” for Radio 1’s Live Lounge. Even her latest project with H&M is just the latest is a string of big projects she’s been busy working on.

She’s quick to tell me that this collaboration is different to anything she’s done in the past though. “This is all about music so it just made sense,” she tells me, pensive. “I’ve always been interested in fashion. Growing up I’d borrow my mum’s clothes and help her out with buying vintage pieces for her shop.”

“I’m not a model so I was quite shocked when H&M asked me but because it’s all about music, it’s been really collaborative,” she continues. “Divided is really young and fun so the clothes really suit me. There’s a personality to the clothes, which is why I really enjoy wearing them. I wouldn’t ever partner with a brand if I wouldn’t normally wear the clothes myself. I think that would completely defeat the object of it all. I feel real close to this collection.”

In fact, the H&M design team based the collection around Lou’s personal style long before they approached her to front the campaign. “They said there was a lot of inspiration from my Instagram, which is why they chose me. I was like, “what?!” I just couldn’t believe that.”

The campaign, which was shot on Venice Beach, was lensed by noted photographer Paolo Kudacki. “I’m such a big fan of hers. She shoots women so well so it was just really nice to be able to have someone that high up take pictures of me.”

I don’t want to just put out an album that has a bunch of singles on it and that’s it. I want to put out music throughout my life that tell stories. I think that’s really important. I want to have longevity.

It’s that feeling of gratitude and feeling somewhat surprised about the whirlwind of opportunities that the past two years have presented her with that characterises much of our conversation. She’s in no way cynical about the fame that has very quickly befallen her. Catching up ahead of the launch of her second album “All Of Me”, she’s every bit as gracious as she is on paper: grateful to have the support of her loyal fans, honoured H&M picked against a slew of other rising stars and thankful, even, to have the opportunity to come back for round two (“You don’t always get the chance to make a second album as an artist”). And yet her humility does nothing to detract from her ambition – in fact, they go hand in hand. “I was really scared creating this album but I knew exactly what I wanted to do and what I wanted to write about,” she says. As softly spoken as she is, the power to say no is not one that many up-and-coming artists seem to posses, but she’s very clear about what she wants and the type of artist she wants to be.

“I think Sia is incredible,” when I ask about fellow artists she respects. “I really admire her career path and just think she’s great. She’s got integrity and she writes about things that actually mean something…I don’t want to just put out an album that has a bunch of singles on it and that’s it. I want to put out music throughout my life that tell stories. I think that’s really important. I want to have longevity.”

If the number of hours she’s putting in is anything to go by, staying power is something she needn’t worry about. This summer, festival season has been hers. She’s been so busy, “last night I had to get ready in an Uber – it was the worst thing ever but I was in such a rush, I had to.” Today, she was up at 4am to do the Lorraine show on Good Morning Britain and she’s just about to dive head first into a promo campaign for the new record.

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Although it’s rare for an artist to have covered so much ground in such a short space of time, it’s not difficult to understand why so many are interested in hearing more from her. Part of Lou’s appeal is her emotional breadth, her unflinchingly intimate confessionals, no more evident than in the upcoming album, much of which was written after her real-life heartbreak.

“This album was something that, at the time, saved me. Writing it really helped me.” But she doesn’t want to be seen as being down on love. Rather, she says, many of the songs on this album are grounded in empowerment. “It was a really nice way of moving on I guess and feeling stronger. It was a positive release. I feel stronger because I was in a vulnerable place when I wrote it. Looking back and listening to those songs now is nice because I can sing them and feel like I’m in a better place and that everything is going to be okay. I love having that message in my music…I didn’t want the album to just be me crying into a microphone. I wanted it to be empowering.”

Does she ever feel scared about being so open in her songs, especially given that she’s already a public person, I ask? “I always do but I think you just have to do it,” she says, relaxing into the sofa. “It’s weird because I’ll be in the studio literally writing a song like it’s a diary. It’s almost like someone finding your diary without you knowing and telling everyone and you’re like, “no! It’s not me. That’s not my handwriting!”

Looking back and listening to those songs now is nice because I can sing them and feel like I’m in a better place and that everything is going to be okay. I love having that message in my music…I didn’t want the album to just be me crying into a microphone. I wanted it to be empowering.”

With all of this success, does she have much time for fun or personal time? “I like keeping busy because it makes me really appreciate those few moments off that I do get. Like today, I had a spare hour after Lorraine Kelly before I came here so I went to see my niece, my nephew and my mum. Because we didn’t have much time, we were all talking non-stop. We didn’t talk about crap – we spoke about really important things, which was really nice. I love moments like that – when I’m busy I savour those moments more.”

Talking about busy, any chance of a Foxes fashion line in the future, I ask? “Not just yet. I can’t see anyone actually wanting to buy it,” she says deadpan. “Hopefully they would. I would love to do something like that in the future, definitely…I’d love to represent women through clothes and present what I think women would look good in. Watch this space.”

Foxes is the face of H&M’s Loved Music Divided collection, which is in stores now.