Grimes insists she isn't a "pop star".

Grimes on NME cover

Grimes on NME cover

The 'Oblivion' singer followed up on the success of her 2012 debut album 'Visions' with the critically acclaimed 'Art Angels' this year, but she doesn't want her achievements to pigeonhole her as a mainstream musician and confessed she even "hates" the label.

The "shy" singer told NME magazine: "I hate the words 'pop star'. I don't make pop music. I'm on an indie label. I don't want to feel pressure to be a world-class singer, or a professional level dancer, or super beautiful. I'm not good at any of those things, and I'm very shy."

The Canadian songstress - real name Claire Elise Boucher - has been awarded NME's Album of the Year 2015 title for 'Art Angels' which features synthpop, keyboards and guitars is topped with sugary high-pitched vocals.

But the star says her "experimental" sound is closer to the likes '1979' hitmakers Smashing Pumpkins than it is to pop.

She said: "I just want to make what I want to make. No-one calls Smashing Pumpkins pop stars. No-one calls Trent Reznor a pop star. You can be experimental and have a big audience and not be pop."

Grimes is delighted to receive NME's album accolade and admits the success of both her last LPs seems "insane".

She told the magazine: "Everything seems so insane that I'm currently unable to process it all. Right now it's rather dream-like."


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