SHE'S renowned for pushing the boundaries when it comes to her live shows so when she tells you that her current tour is her favourite, you know it's going to be special.

Marina and the Diamonds' Neon Nature tour comes to Manchester Academy later this month.

"I have taken a lot of time putting the show together to make it as special as it can be," said Marina.

Born Marina Lambrini Diamandis, the singer first shot to fame after coming second in the BBC's influential Sound of 2010 poll.

Since then she has released three albums, each one winning more and more fans and gaining critical acclaim.

Indeed it is those fans to whom she is most devoted. Marina and the Diamonds may sound like a group but the Diamonds are not a backing band, they are are an acknowledgement of the fans.

"The fans have really invested in me from the start of my career," she said. "I have always been pretty uncompromising about what I do and I think that they appreciate me for that.

"I am really excited about the current show. It will feature three different acts so that each of my albums can have its own set.

Always a highly visual artist, Marina's cartoon-ish and quirky looks have made her a much sought-after style icon, she has been heavily involved in the look of the new tour.

"I was really involved with the sets and we had three whole days at a venue to test out the show before we headed off on tour," she said.

"We recorded every pre-production show and then went through them with a fan's eye.

"It is a really powerful and strange experience looking at yourself performing. You can't help be critical and tend to spot the little things rather than get an overall picture.

"But I'd love to be a fan in the audience watching this show, I think it is really special."

But for all the visual elements, Marina is a musician first and foremost.

"I want people to be thoroughly entertained by the show and the music is the most important thing," she said.

For the live sets her second album Electro Heart will remain pretty much unchanged from the original album but Marina admits that her debut album The Family Jewels and most recent release Froot take on a whole new life in the live environment.

Marina and the Diamonds, Manchester Academy, Thursday, February 18. Details from 0161 232 1639.