Whether it’s with her solo career or her work with the Delgados, Emma Pollock has been one of Scotland’s finest songwriters for some time.

But as she gears up for her first album in six years, the songstress reckons her writing is at its best when she’s not sure what she’s up to.

“I really love writing on piano, because I don’t know what I’m doing,” she says, ahead of playing Oran Mor on Friday.

“That’s what’s great about music, that you don’t have to go through a traditional route to write songs. I picked up an amazing book years ago about how to be a songwriter and there was this wonderful snippet saying ‘you don’t have to know how to play an instrument to write a song’ and it’s so true.

“You can hum a melody into your phone these days and if there’s something about it, like a hook or a rhythm, then you can go. You don’t need to be playing the piano or guitar for years, so when I sit down at the piano I’m mucking around and using my ears.”

That seems to be a pretty good way of working for Emma. In Search Of Harperfield is released on Friday and covers a range of styles and ideas, with tunes bouncing between folk, power-pop and rock and lyrics that range from childhood reminiscences to dealing with the loss of a parent (Emma’s mother passed away last year).

It’s a cohesive, thoughtful collection of songs, which is all the more impressive given Emma’s actual writing spanned a few years.

“It’s just taken a long time to find my feet as a solo artist,” says the singer, who also helps run top indie label Chemikal Underground with the rest of her former bandmates.

“It’s been 10 years now since the Delgados spilt up, and that’s me only putting out the third solo album now. It’s a different stage in my life – my family has changed, as Paul (Savage, her husband and also the album’s producer) and I have a son that needs me and his dad, and I got quite comfortable with the life that allowed me a bit more of a calmer lifestyle.

“I was writing right up until the album was ready. That’s really important, because this wasn’t an album that was shelved for a couple of years waiting for release, but one brewing for a long time that depicted life over a few years.”

It means Harperfield is an album of contrasting emotions, from the childhood flashbacks on Parks And Recreation to more sombre tracks like Intermission, where she reflects on her parents’ failing health.

“It’s really hard to witness when they have deteriorating health when they have been these strong, dependable adults for you,” she says.

“I was the one that was to be the strength now, making sure that everything was as it should be, and that takes getting used to.”

For the Oran Mor show she’ll be joined by not just her backing band but also a few guests, including the Cairn String Quartet.

“It’s going to be something that’s unique and a one-off, and I’m going to love every minute of it,” she says.

“That’s what Celtic Connections is all about, having unique shows – people are just milling about, getting invited to play at other gigs and the whole thing has a wonderfully fluid feel to it, where people are jumping offstage at a gig and then playing at the festival club.”

A festival like Celtic Connections might spotlight Glasgow’s thriving live music scene, but it also touches upon the issue of arts funding.

The recent controversy over the Glasgow Effect project also saw discussion over whether the arts in general should be funded. For Emma, it’s something that’s tied closely to the city.

“A developed country has a responsibility to letting culture and the arts thrive,” she adds.

“Glasgow as a city is teeming at the moment with talent, and is a city that has been put on the map not just because of its industrial heritage but also its cultural heritage. I’m really proud of that because I love this city and have done since moved here over 20 years ago, and one thing that has kept me here is the cultural enthusiasm.”

Emma Pollock, Oran Mor, Friday £14, 7pm