BLACKPOOL-born singer-songwriter Rae Morris is playing an intimate show in Kendal Library in May, and, as she explains, it will be ‘a bit like a homecoming gig’.

The 22-year-old is a regular visitor to the Lakes, where her parents now live for most of the year, and made her first festival appearance at Kendal Calling last year.

“I find it the most inspiring place,” she said, “the huge scale of the scenery puts everything into perspective.”

Rae is currently basking in the glow of finally releasing her debut album, ‘Unguarded’, four years after she first signed to Atlantic Records, at the age of 17.

In that time she has released three EPs, seven singles and collaborated with Clean Bandit and Bombay Bicycle Club.

But a full album has been longer in coming, as she explained, “I was pretty young when I first got signed – it’s been a real journey and I wanted to take people on that journey with a whole album.

“It’s a wonderful feeling that it’s out and people are able to hear who I am and what I’m about.”

On the importance of the album in the days of streaming and downloading, she said, “I liked releasing EPs and singles but there’s such a story to be told with the album.”

Some of my greatest moments in life have been listening to other people’s incredible albums, so for people to spend 46 minutes of their life listening to me – I still haven’t got my head round it.”

In between writing a new batch of songs and making videos for her next few singles, Rae is preparing for an extensive tour, followed by a busy festival season.

Her Kendal show – the latest to be held by the Got It Loud in Libraries scheme – will be Rae’s first on British soil after more than a month touring Europe.

“I’m very personal with my writing so a library setting seems perfect for that,” she said.

“It’s a bizarre setting for a gig but perhaps it will make people feel more inclined to listen to the words and think more about what you’re saying.”

Rae plays at Kendal Library on May 1.