Now she looks set to repeat that success on these shores — but for now the amiable singer songwriter is enjoying adding to her list of celebrity fans.

“I suppose I probably should set some goals, shouldn’t I?” laughed Bic, 20 dates into a headlining UK tour which visits Dundee tonight.

“I’m having a lot of fun at the moment. People ask me a lot if I want to achieve what I have back home in this country, but to be honest I’m just doing what I do.

“I’ve had a crazy time on the tour so far. I probably shouldn’t talk about it too much because it’s not very cool, but Jimmy Page asked to come to one of my shows.

“I just met Elton John a couple of nights ago too. For a girl from New Zealand to meet these massive British figures is quite an acceptance. It’s quite random too.”

Since emerging at 19 years old with her debut single Drive a decade ago, Bic has travelled a remarkable musical journey.

Her albums, Drive (1996) and Beautiful Collision (2002) have sold seven and eleven times platinum respectively in New Zealand, the latter spawning the single Get Some Sleep.

A top ten hit in Japan and Ireland, it also broke into the UK top 40. The album, meanwhile, featured in a number of best of the year charts.

Her current tour is in support of a new record, Birds, which was recorded with contributions from former touring partner Neil Finn.

Initial recording concentrated on capturing the magic of “live” takes, and the new material has slotted comfortably into her touring set.

“I’ve been playing a lot of the new songs,” added Bic, the third daughter of a Maori soldier and Chinese cabaret singer.

“I’ve only done one other tour of the UK before. The crowds seem to be there — most of the gigs have sold out — and people know the records.

“Astrid Williamson has just joined the tour as support, and she was saying to me the show was darker than she expected it to be, which is kind of true.

“A lot of people have heard the single Sway and think of it as a pop song, so they are not expecting it to be quite dark and sombre.”

The sombre sounds of Bic Runga fill the Westport Bar in Dundee tonight. Advance tickets are £8 and doors open at 8pm.

And so it goes on. But when one of the most enthusiastic men in the music business claims that a previous Dundee gig was one of his band’s best ever, you can’t help but believe him.

Especially as the return to the city of Acey Slade and his band Trashlight Vision this weekend is the only Scottish date on their current tour.

“Dundee was one of the craziest shows on that tour,” recalled Acey, a former member of the infamous Murderdolls.

“At the end of the night there were so many people on the stage that I had to stand on top of the drum kit to be seen.

“In fact, I would say it’s one of the best shows that we’ve done, period. And I’m not only hoping for the same this time around — I’m expecting it!”

Acey is as enthusiastic about everything to do with TLV, a project which was funded after all the members of the band sold their possessions.

Things have moved on a bit for the foursome since then, and a recent tour took them all over Europe and as far afield as Japan.

“The crowds are different in some places, like in Japan they can get very excited, like when I did all my stage rap in Japanese — they loved that,” said Acey.

“In Germany they can be a bit more reserved. Berlin’s like a lot of big cities, in that you have to win the crowd over — but that doesn’t scare me!

“I’ll have to get something Scottish for coming up there, maybe get a big Scottish flag or drink Irn Bru on stage.”

Their debut album Alibis and Ammunition, released earlier this year, was a typically rocket-fuelled mix of Ramones punk and Guns N’ Roses rock. “The reviews have been amazing,” said Acey. “On the one hand, you don’t want to listen to the reviews too much, but when they’re positive you do!

“People think that because I played with Murderdolls I had my bed made for me but that’s not true at all, and anyway I wouldn’t want it like that.

“I care too much about it to leave it in the hands of somebody else. I’m an artist, I’m not in a boy band.”

Trashlight Vision are at the Doghouse in Dundee on Sunday, with support from Dirty Wee Middens, Anti-Faith and Chromakeyer. Doors open at 8pm and tickets are £6 in advance or £10 on the door.