We last saw you hitting the charts with Tinchy Stryder and the single, Number 1, what have you been up to since?

We’re releasing our new single now, called I Need You. It’s our first single back this year and we’ve been in the studio in Surrey for three or four months, working on our new album. Hopefully we’re going to sell double the amount of copies we sold of our first album.

How is it different from your last album?

The last album had a lot of concepts and messages, this one has only got about three or four. We’ve always got in our music the boys in the band arguing with the girl. Tulisa, will be fighting for women power and we’ll be fighting for the boys, and that’s why we’ve got such a crazy, massive fan base, because it’s music for everyone. The majority of the album will consist of up-tempo, fast, party music. The new one, I Need You is all about Facebook and stuff. We’re very up to date!

How do you go about recording a new album – do you write songs individually or sit as a group and work it out?

Fazer will write the music, I’ll structure the song by writing the hook, the bridge, the intro, the outro, and make sure everything is perfect. Then I’ll get Tulisa to come in, I’ll show her a couple of ideas and she’ll write her own type of thing in the verse and suggest what she feels she can do to make the song better. But, sometimes Tulisa will write something and say, Dappy, I want you to do something with this.

Do you like recording or is it all about performing?

I love recording. Recording the song with Tinchy Stryder, was great because we bonded so well. I went in and he told me exactly what he wanted on the track. In 45 minutes, I came up with the great bridge: (sings) “I don’t understand how you’re number one”. I knew exactly what he wanted and that’s what I did! I write big, massive songs that people want to hear. It’s great to record a song that’s going to be so big.

What was it like being part of the collective, Young Soul Rebels, making the I Got Soul single for War Child?

They just wanted all the best of the best artists – I knew Pixie Lott was on there, Tinchy Stryder – we had to be on it as well. I think we smashed that song, it’s a great single! Plus, it’s the kind of charity that straight away I’m going to help.

Is there anyone you would really like to work with?

I wanted to work with Gary Barlow and I worked with him the other day. We wrote an amazing song with him, which of course, is going on the new album. We’ve also got a new single with Mr Hudson.

Apart from working with these great artists, what’s been the highlight of your career so far?

Reaching number one and going double platinum, they’re my highlights.

N-Dubz join VV Brown, Frankmusik, Pixie Lott, Tinchy Stryder and more on I Got Soul, the single for War Child out 19 October. Check out www.warchild.org.uk. N-Dubz’s new single I Need You is out 9 November and the new album, is released 16 November.