Lucifire - Flame Girl:

I think almost all performers started off being shy and, as I grew up in the middle of nowhere I never really knew how to interact with people. I'm certainly not a fierce person by nature but I am passionate and fiercely independent. I don't mind that people think I am more fierce than I am, it can be very useful and often entertaining.

There are very real risks involved in what I do. I control everything as much as possible but nothing is 100% safe and the minute you forget that is the minute you get hurt. I have plenty of scars to show for my complacency; grinding scars on my thighs, my belly and my hands; pieces of metal lodged in my eyeball from the sparks which had to be taken out at hospital (metal not eyeball); shredded, scarred feet from glass walking.

My teeth are fucked from eating glass (given that up now). I've set myself on fire by mistake; flames up my nose, down my throat; burned off all eyelashes, eyebrows, nasal hair and some off my head; arms are scarred from repeated fire burns. The worst of the burns happened when I had toothache *from glass eating*. I was taking dihydracodeine for the intense pain in my mouth so I didn't feel when the flesh on my arm started burning as I ran the torch over it.

I've been labelled as performance art in the past and although I can see why, I refuse to be called that because of all the utter wank by the same name. I like to call what I do "performance" as that's nice and vague. I trained as a dancer, I adore cabaret and many of my shows are very theatrical and there is a slight circus crossover although I don't see myself as circus and have no desire to be. I often tell people I'm a firebreather because they know what that is and I can't be bothered with a huge rambling explanation…in fact I still say I'm a student sometimes just to skip the same old questions.

All my theatrical shows have several levels to them. I can't make a show unless it has some sort of meaning for me. I try not to shove my ideas or questions down people's throats. Instead, I insinuate them into people's heads with humour, and shock the crowd to keep them there. I spend a lot of time researching and drafting before simplifying it all down into entertainment with an underlying intellectual motive. I like to be as extreme as the audience can handle and then push it a little further.

To me art is primarily a chance to see inside someone else's head. My methods are ways in, and the smart person chooses the best method for the audience and the things you are trying to show them.

I crave adrenaline and endorphins, beauty, pleasure, pain, good food, good sex, booze, new sights, sounds, sensations, experiences, ideas, questions, concepts… I love new things and hate the thought I'm missing out on something. I'm doing this while I can. Maybe later I'll concentrate a bit more on playing my sax, acting, singing, sculpting, prop making. Mostly I still want to be creating and enjoying what I'm doing.

Lucifire has performed all over the world, from the Royal Albert Hall and Hong Kong Convention Centre to seedy bars and lavish nightclubs.

For her infamous grinding act she wears metal armour and attacks it with a power tool, creating huge showers of sparks in time to music.

Other acts include jumping on broken glass; hammering a 4 inch nail into her nostril; stubbing out cigar on tongue; stapling money to arms and cleavage; draining blood from her arm and drinking it; and masturbating with very long scissors *sorry mum, but that's entertainment*

Interview by Julia Collings for J Mag