Edwards has had most labels thrown at her from Americana to folk, and although she can't see where her music truly fits within any of these genres, she is just happy to be spoken about and to have the opportunity to play music as a living. That said there is no denying that some country artists have had an affect on her songwriting in a way that has had a much broader influence than just encouraging her to opt for pedal steel on some of her recordings. For the daughter of a diplomat who spent portions of her childhood in Korea and Switzerland, it is curious that she was exposed to this form of music.

'The music that influenced me growing up has had significant impact. The one thing about growing up overseas is that I was really cut off from a lot of the mainstream happenings of pop culture and what was going on in the mainstream music radio as a teenager. I think I just discovered music on my own rather than it being through one of the things that my friends were talking about. I really started hearing about music through my brother and through being in a little record shop and picking up a Bob Dylan CD. That element of it changed the way that I heard music. I wasn't influenced by the gaggle of girls going 'oh that guy is cute you must buy his record', although I can tell you I did buy a New Kids On The Block CD so I am not completely innocent."

On Edwards' debut album Failer (2003), she was candid in her disdain for the state of mainstream radio in Canada via the tune One More Song The Radio Won't Like. Since then her fortunes with radio have improved but Edwards is still aware of the difficulty in Canadian artists being recognised by their local media. It is a phenomenon that sees many artists look towards America for acceptance, with the hope that attention there will facilitate some interest on the home front.

"When I wrote that song and that record came out, it was really true. I put out a record and the day it came out I was playing on the David Letterman show and yet I couldn't get arrested in Canada. I couldn't get anyone to play any of my songs on any type of mainstream radio in Canada and it was very frustrating. I have always looked at it that I am kind of speaking for all of the people that don't get radio play who are Canadian and should be protected by the government protection of Canadian culture in the mainstream radio. To this day I do still believe that the mainstream radio in Canada - for the main part - don't play music that is representative of what is happening in Canadian music.

Despite the modest aims that Edwards had for her debut, it lead almost immediately to the kind of attention that saw her being invited to perform on such pivotal American shows as David Letterman and Jay Leno. Failer was acclaimed by all and sundry leading to a hectic touring schedule that lead to Edwards and her band opening for such highly revered acts as The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. The association that has raised the most eyebrows though is when the band were asked to open for Australian rock legends AC/DC.

'to be fair I opened for AC/DC at 2pm in the afternoon and after I played another five bands hit the stage before AC/DC. It is a good sound bite but I didn't directly open for AC/DC. When I play with my full band we are a lot more rock than we are roots, and AC/DC fans are fantastic so it was very easy to stand up in front of a lot of topless women and guys drinking beer and smoking joints. They are very easy to please."

A self-confessed bourbon drinker and potty mouth, Edwards is soon to make her first visit to Perth and will be accompanied by her husband guitarist/producer Colin Cripps. Whilst Edwards admits that there will be times when she will miss not having the power of her full band behind her, the duo format is a great opportunity to reinvent the tunes from both of her albums and to deliver them in a more intimate format. It is in this mode that the audience get the opportunity to refect on Edwards tales that often depict the darker side of human relationships.

"A lot of my songs are about human relationships whether or not they are about a romantic relationship. It is easier to be inspired or to have something significant to write about when you are in that mindset of being down and out. Having said that, I also like the honesty of relationships and language and conversation so, I always end up writing about that sort of thing. There is always a part of a personal experience in a song. You know the nice thing about being a creative writer is that how much I choose to reveal is at my own discretion, and it keeps it safe for me to not have to admit or deny anything."