MOST of us might settle for a cake, some celebratory drinks and a few gifts from loved ones.

But Amy Macdonald had the ultimate 30th birthday present when she was presented with a commemorative disc to mark 12 million record sales.

The Scottish singer-songwriter said: “I had no idea it was so high so it was totally unexpected.

“I knew that I was getting a disc from my record label but I thought it was a triple platinum disc for my first album. So I was a bit shocked when they gave me that and I had to make sure I didn’t cry. It was pretty overwhelming.”

The celebration, which took place just weeks after Amy’s birthday, was also to mark 10 years since the release of her debut album, This Is The Life. The record instantly propelled Amy into the showbiz world after it went to number one.

Launching her career with Vertigo Records, she was suddenly label mates with the likes of The Killers, Metallica and Kiss.

She added: “A lot of people get a bit panicked when they turn 30 but I feel totally fine about it to be honest. I feel like I’ve achieved more than I could have ever dreamed of. So for me to still be doing what I do 10 years after releasing my first album and still be able to go on tour and do all these shows is amazing. I feel very lucky and thankful that people have stuck by me over the years.”

It has been quite a journey up until this point as Amy started playing live in the pubs and coffee shops of Glasgow when she was 15.

She said: “I’ve been playing gigs for pretty much half my life now and I signed a record contract when I was 18 so I’ve had 12 years as a professional. So it’s been a huge chunk of my life. It’s been all of my adult life so it’s all that I really know and it’s kind of the only job that I’ve had.

“When you sit down and think about everything that’s happened and all the crazy things that continue to happen it does feel surreal.

“But it’s great and it’s something I absolutely love. One of the best things is the amazing friends that I’ve made for life through this job.

“People that I’ve worked with at record labels from the beginning but most of all my band and my crew. I spend a great deal of time with them. For me it’s amazing you get to make these super close relationships with people that understand everything.

“Because the most difficult thing about what I do is that most people don’t understand.

“They think you just swan off on a jolly every couple of weeks. It is actually very intense and it’s good that there are people who understand just how difficult it can be. I’m also very lucky to have had such a strong group of family and friends who have been incredibly supportive.”

So what was it like for Amy playing in pubs when she was too young to even order a drink from the bar?

“I was actually not meant to be in a lot of the pubs I would play in,” she admitted.

“I would usually just sneak in on a Saturday afternoon and they would have Saturday evening open mic nights.

“I’d spend all day in there because otherwise I wouldn’t get in. I just wanted to play and when you’re younger it’s a bit difficult to do that. I probably wasn’t confident speaking or anything like that but I just loved performing.

“I loved writing songs and covering songs and I wanted to go out and do it. Thankfully I met the right people and got that foot in the door to get a record contract.”

Amy’s number one debut album came out when she was just 19 – but she barely had time to take stock.

She said: “It was an amazing feeling but it didn’t really change anything because my life was already super hectic by that point.

“You’ve still got to do the hard slog and all the touring. It’s just something to be proud of – to say you’ve had a number one all over Europe. But what the number one record did was continue that cycle – it just meant I had to do more tours and go on longer. But that’s something that I love to do so I was very grateful of that.

“You can’t celebrate anything properly in this industry as you’re always on to the next thing.”

That is not to say there were not perks along the way.

Amy added: “The first crazy thing that happened was when I was in Germany at a big awards ceremony.

“I was very fortunate that I won an award and that was amazing.

“Then when I got back to my dressing room a note had left for me saying: ‘To Amy, come and say hi to your fan club’ and it was signed by all of U2.

“So I went and hung out with them for an hour chatting absolute nonsense. That was pretty cool and definitely a pinch yourself moment.”

None of this might have happened if it was not for fellow Scottish stars Travis.

The band’s album, The Man Who, convinced Amy to pick up her dad’s guitar when she was just 12.

She said: “The Man Who was my first love in terms of music. It made me want to play so I taught myself to play the guitar specifically so I could play along to that.

“They were just wonderfully crafted pop guitar songs and songs that actually meant something. It was everything that appeals to me.

“They spoke to me straight away and Fran Healy had such a wonderful and distinct voice so they were definitely were the complete package.

“For me it was even more exciting that they came from where I come from. You could see that somebody could come from Glasgow and they could do their thing and have this real success and that was even more inspiring.”

Since then Amy has had the chance to meet her heroes several times – as well as her other musical icon Bruce Springsteen.

She added: “It’s really great when you look up to people and they’re everything you imagined they would be.

“Travis I’ve met a few times and they’re really down to earth, humble people.

“I met Bruce Springsteen outside my dressing room at a festival he was headlining at Hyde Park and he was a really sweet guy. I could sit and chat about music with him all day. It’s always quite nice because there are a lot of rotters in this industry so I’m glad the ones I look up to aren’t in that bracket.

“I’ve met so many crazy people over the years that I kind of don’t get star struck anymore because you realise everyone’s just the same.

“We’re all human beings with the same struggles and the same ups and downs. Alright some people are crazy successful and everybody knows their face but they still feel the same things that normal people feel.”

Now Amy is embarking on an intimate acoustic tour – including a date at the Parr Hall on November 2 – to mark 10 years since the release of This Is The Life.

She said: “I’ve done a few festivals and a few other gigs where we’ve done it all acoustic and it felt really special.

“It felt like the right thing to do after 10 years – to go back to the start. It gives the songs a new lease of life because you can work them a little differently.

“That’s kind of the test of a good song. If it can stand up with not a lot going on then it can stand up in any situation. I was really proud when I realised how nice my songs sounded in that setting.”

Amy Macdonald performs at the Parr Hall on November 2. Visit pyramidparrhall.com or call 442345