This time last year, German singer and songwriter Kim Petras was performing her first UK gig to a crowd of 200 in London.

Fast forward to this weekend and she's joining the likes of Years & Years and Ariana Grande in performing in front of thousands at Manchester Pride.

“It’s just been a crazy past year,” the transgender starlet recalls. “Now people know about me and I have a much bigger fanbase, I'm able to do these amazing festivals and events like Manchester Pride.”

Sandwiched between slots at Reading and Leeds festival, Petras will take to the Pride stage on Saturday in what is expected to be a show-stopping performance featuring her unapologetically pop sound.

“I definitely have the outfit on lock and I’m ready to belt out some high-ass notes,” she teases.

Now 26, Petras rose to fame at the age of 13 when she was the subject of a German television program about gender identity. At 16, she had gender reassignment surgery.

(Image: Byron Spencer)

Since moving to America and releasing her debut single in 2017, Petras has gone on to become a pop star with a big international following.

Despite having only just released her debut album, ‘Clarity’, she has over two million monthly streams on Spotify. Getting to this high point in her life hasn't been easy.

“I felt suicidal really early on in my life,” Petras says of knowing she was born in the wrong body from the age of two.

“I found it really difficult. I knew pretty early that I was going to transition into being a girl. The biggest part was convincing the world that you’re not crazy and that it’s a real thing.

“I used to hate my life at school, I used to get bullied really bad. I used to get told that people thought I was crazy.”

Kim says she is grateful for the platform she's been given, and how it's made her a role model to other trans kids.

“I definitely feel glad that I get to make music and be a pop star and also be transgender at the same time,” she reveals.

“I’m really touched when people tell me I have inspired them to come out or transition.”

And she is 'incredibly excited' about her upcoming performance on the Manchester Pride stage.

“I always turn it up for Pride,” she exclaims. “It’s always very inspiring to perform at Pride.

“I think Pride is super important in raising awareness and getting people to support the cause.”

(Image: Byron Spencer)

The reaction to the increasing visibility of the trans community has seen some people question their identities, as if it's some kind of choice or phase - attitudes which Kim wants to fight through education.

“Transgender people have always existed and will always exist, it’s not a trend", she says. "Ifyou want to be ignorant and say that, then you’re just uneducated. It’s just straight up uneducated and dumb.”

She says programmes, such as the No Outsiders project which sparked protest in Birmingham, are key to raising awareness about LGBT equality and rights.

“I think one million per cent the solution is to educate people about the issue. Even if it’s just a single paragraph in a school book, that would massively help. It would be really cool for people to learn about it and educate themselves.

(Image: Getty Images for MTV)

"I would like to encourage people to just Google transgender issues and watch interviews with transgender people to educate themselves and then they can pass that education onto others.

“In general, there’s always going to be intolerance and there’s always going to be uneducated people that are bothered by your existence. That’s always existed and probably always will, unfortunately.”

Knowing fully well of the struggles faced by the transgender community, Petras says she wants those coming to terms with their identity to know that 'it gets better and it’s important to know there are other people out there like you and that you’re not alone.'

Ahead of Pride, Petras says she is most excited to perform tracks from her debut album ‘Clarity’. Most particularly, her latest single ‘Icy’ - as it shows an evolution in sound since her 2017 debut.

“I don’t feel like I’m even the same person I was a month ago,” she declares. “I always feel like I’m constantly learning and always looking to be a better person. I just feel like the music reflects that.”

With plans to release a follow-up to her Halloween-themed ‘Turn Off The Light’ mixtape in October, Petras has no intentions of slowing things down anytime soon.

“I’ll definitely continue shocking my fans,” she laughs. “I love it when artists try different things and they evolve.”

The star is also set to return to the UK following her Pride stint. “I’ll be back soon,” she promises.

"I can’t spill the tea on that yet but you can expect me back soon for sure.”

‘Clarity’, the debut album by Kim Petras, is available to download and stream now.