THEY’VE cracked America and cleaned up at the BRIT Awards. Now one of the hottest bands on the planet play the mighty BIC on Tuesday.

We last saw Bastille in this neck of the woods when they headlined Bestival and the Isle of Wight festival last summer. Despite the accolades, front man Dan Smith had no real intention of becoming a global star – but it’s happened anyway and he still can’t get his head around it, as 24Seven discovers.

Bastille’s debut Bad Blood was released last year and promptly went to the top of the album charts.

Since winning the BRIT Award for British Breakthrough act this month, the album has shot back up to the top of the charts. It’s by far one of the best-selling albums of the last year.

An impressive stat – even more so when you consider the only artists to sell more than these unknown Londoners include household names like Justin Timberlake, Daft Punk, Calvin Harris, Pink and Michael Buble.

Smith began writing songs in his bedroom when he was either 15 or 16, he can’t quite remember. He didn’t even tell his friends he was songwriting; his family only knew because they could hear him through the wall.

He says he has a patchwork approach to songwriting: recording snippets of different items before piecing it all together on his laptop.

One thing that remains throughout is his ear for a huge chorus, although he can’t force that element, he adds.

“I’ve always been obsessed with hooks and strong melodies.

“I mean, there’s loads of amazing music that doesn't have that, but they’re the songs you remember, aren’t they?”

Pompeii and Things We Lost In The Fire definitely have that quality, and it’s no surprise they’ve done so well.

The reaction when they play their debut single Overjoyed live does raise a few eyebrows, though.

“Our crowds are generally quite up for it, so we’re lucky, but during Overjoyed in Manchester recently, there were four circles of moshing,” Smith explains.

“It’s a really depressing bit of music, so I never expected that.”

Bastille will have to get used to this when they play the BIC on Tuesday evening.