For Belinda Carlisle, Heaven is a place called Scotland

Pop icon Belinda Carlisle is heading back to the UK and she’s very excited to get back to Scotland.

When I sit down with the former Go-Go’s frontwoman, it’s clear she’s genuinely thrilled to be back on the road.

I wasn’t sure if Belinda would recall playing here before, but she immediately told me how much she loved our “wee country” and how warm a welcome she always receives when in Scotland.

“I’ve always loved Scotland. It’s one of the most beautiful countries in the world,” she warmly tells What’s On Scotland, brushing off any suggestion she’s simply being polite.

“I have such fond memories of playing there. Years ago I had the best meal of my life – fresh salmon from a stream with potatoes and vegetables. That memory has always stayed with me.”

The audiences, she adds, are just as unforgettable. “Scottish audiences don’t hold back, which I love.”

The song that changed everything

Belinda’s career is full of hits, but one stands out as a life-changing moment – Heaven Is a Place on Earth. She remembers exactly how it felt hearing it for the first time.

“Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley played it for me acoustically, and I just thought, oh my God, this could be a global hit. Timing is everything, but it was immediate. It felt incredible that this was my song.”

The pull of the stage

Even after more than four decades in music, Carlisle admits she still gets the same thrill from performing live.

“I’m very blessed that I get to sing for a living. It’s super fun and when I’m not singing I really miss it. Seeing people’s reactions and making them happy is addictive.”

And she knows exactly what fans want from her live shows. “They want the hits. Sometimes I’ll throw in a new track or two, but people come for the favourites and I’m happy to give them that.”

From California sunshine to punk beginnings

Born and raised in Southern California, Belinda’s love of music started early. “The Beach Boys were my first album, and they really informed my taste in music,” she said.

That early passion eventually led her into LA’s emerging punk scene, where she co-founded The Go-Go’s in 1977.

“There was this group of about 50 kids in LA who looked to London and the UK for music,” she recalls. “It influenced us hugely. The Go-Go’s had no idea how to do anything but that made it cooler. Somehow, against all odds, we made it work.”

The band went on to become trailblazers as the first all-female group to write their own songs, play their own instruments and hit number one.

Career highs and dream collaborations

Belinda’s solo career has brought plenty of pinch-me moments – from working with George Harrison on Leave a Light On to having Brian Wilson, her childhood hero, sing on one of her tracks.

“Brian Wilson probably influenced me more than any other artist, so having him on A Woman & a Man (Belinda’s sixth studio album) was huge.”

A new chapter: Once Upon a Time in California

This year also marks the release of Belinda’s brand-new covers album, Once Upon a Time in California, a project nearly eight years in the making.

“I started with almost 100 songs and chipped away bit-by-bit until it was finished in January this year. I haven’t even seen the album in person yet – only pictures – but it looks amazing.”

She even includes a Scottish song on there – Marmalade’s 1969 hit, Reflections of my Life.

With a career that spans punk beginnings, pop superstardom and enduring global hits, Belinda shows no signs of slowing down.

And as she returns to Scotland, fans can be sure of one thing: they’re in for a night of pure joy.

Belinda Carlisle plays Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on September 9 and Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall on September 10.