She's the star of two of the world's biggest fantasy franchises but Molotov Jukebox's Natalia Tena cannot wait to return to the warm embrace of Glasgow's King Tut's.

Tena is better known to cinema audiences as either Osha, the Stark’s wildling servant, in Game of Thrones or Nymphadora Tonks in Harry Potter (depending on your age and geeky preferences), but the London actress is also frontwoman of the frenetic Molotov Jukebox, a band that melds Latin and Balkan folk with Caribbean flare and British pop sensibilities.

The group are currently preparing for the release of their second album, Tropical Gypsy, by playing a series of exclusive UK shows and when it came to selecting a venue for their Glasgow gig, the choice was simple.

"King Tut's has such a heavy historical musical pedigree that it's a real honour to be part of it,” Tena says. "Everyone on the circuit has stories and fond memories of playing there. Its reputation is such that even down here in London the name carries some serious weight.

"We had an amazing time when we played there in 2013. It seems to really epitomise the warmth and fun of the city as a whole. I hope we can get the fans dancing and smiling as much as we did last time."

The band have spent years developing their sound and Tena, who sings and plays accordion in the group, believes Tropical Gypsy has finally given a name to their unusual genre.

"Over the years that we have been playing and developing our own idiosyncratic sound, we have used a variety of different labels to try and sum it up, all of which have been somehow unsatisfactory”, she says.

"We feel that with this one we have finally hit the nail on the head. It's Latin/Balkan fusion with London roots.

"What really gets our juices flowing is that beautiful dichotomy, which is prevalent in both Eastern European and Latin musical cultures, of dark, real emotional content in lyrics, something that is sadly lacking in a lot of current pop music, alongside music that drives your feet on the dance floor into a frenzy. It’s this feeling, reinterpreted through a London mindset.

"It is essentially sticking two musical fingers up at the hardships of life, and the cherry on top of that, death itself."

The band's 2014 debut album, Carnival Flower, combined Balkan gypsy folk with Latin influences. However, Tena says the album was a bit of a "hodgepodge" and promises fans a more focused offering with Tropical Gypsy.

"I think fans can expect a much more mature and focused record than those that we have made so far”, she adds. "Our last album was a bit of a hodgepodge of anything and everything, we wanted to just put it all in. This time we have had a much more considered approach and thought about the album as a body of work, which has its own internal logic and coherence.

"The idea of Tropical Gypsy as a sound has informed everything about this record, directing the writing process and the song selection."

The new record has been inspired by the band's travels and desire to showcase their musical heritage, passions and trademark sound.

"We did some serious thinking about the sound we were producing, the various directions we were going as a band and what we thought were the best elements to take forward into the next record”, Tena says.

"We all felt that the most exciting strands of what we were doing, and those which were the most unique in combination were the Latin/Caribbean sounds mixed with Balkan gypsy flavours. Thus Tropical Gypsy was coined.

"From this starting point, we were able to focus down the frankly vast array of influences that daily affect how we write and play, and what makes us tick. Along with these styles of music being strongly present in our musical upbringing and the unavoidable influences this must have on what we do, our various travels to and tours around Mexico, Brazil and Spain and the sounds and vibes we were exposed to all had a heavy impact on our musical consciousness."

However, Tena says the new record would not have been possible without the band's fans who financed it through crowd-funding.

"We have only been able to make it through Pledge Music and we hope the fans will like what they have helped create”, she adds.

The band's tour and album release coincide with a big announcement in another significant project in Tena's life, Game of Thrones. Rumours about the new series abound after HBO confirmed that the sixth season of the hit show will air in April 2016.

The last time we saw Tena in the show, her character Osha was heading to Greatjon Umber with Rickon. So will she return in season six?

"I can't tell you about that I'm afraid, sworn to secrecy. Anyway, no-one wants to spoil a good surprise!”, Tena says.

"When it comes to the show, what is one of its greatest strengths is that you never know what could happen next. I cannot wait to see the next season and read the next book."

Tena says being involved in the Game of Thrones and Harry Potter phenomena has been an incredible, life changing experience that has introduce a brand new audience to her music.

"It has opened doors that would have been closed to me and brought such exciting projects and adventures to my doorstep, not to mention the incredible fans that have found our music through it”, she says.

"I feel bloody humbled and honoured."

*Molotov Jukebox play King Tut's tomorrow.