My parents tell me that from the very moment my head entered the world I'd already begun making myself heard... I came out all guns blazing! This image, along with my childhood nickname of 'Foghorn' amuses me to this day.

My parents met on the local gig scene, they influenced me from an early age and I soon became aware of singer/songwriters like Sam Brown, Suzanne Vega, Michelle Shocked and Tracy Chapman. However, it took me a while to realise that maybe I could do that!

As I hit my teens, music became a channel through which learnt to express the emotions with which I was battling. It offered a conduit for my thoughts and ideas, a means of release. I suppose, that in a way, it also made me feel powerful, as it enabled me to get to the 'guts' of how I was feeling.

I had always listened to a wide variety of musical styles but I now started to search out artists that I could connect with. 'Real' voices such as Jill Scott and Tenacious D as well as Sheryl Crow and Jewel have all had a big influence. Somehow, listening to Jewel made the whole idea of making my own music a less daunting prospect - all I needed was a guitar and my voice - and the confidence to sing in front of more than a mirror!

Up until this point I'd been merely copying the accents and phrasing of the artists I admired. I now realised that I needed to write my own songs in order to discover how 'I' really sounded.

I've always known that I had this need in me to express myself, a desire to put myself in front of a crowd and get a reaction to my voice. It took me years to gain the courage to acknowledge my ambition and embrace it. After scraping through my degree by the skin of my teeth, I got a job in a local pub. It was here that I met James. We started out by playing 'open mic' nights around the country, including several at Soho's famous 12 Bar Club and we gradually built a loyal following. We were lucky enough to have our first 'proper gig' at The Borderline in the summer of 2004 and at only our third 'real show', we played to over 8,000 people at a festival in Lancashire. I could hardly believe that people actually wanted to hear me!

In June 2006, our musical paths seperated (no controversy, promise!!) and I took for the hills of the South of France where I spent the summer writing in a little medieval village.

Now I'm back, living in Bradford and currently working on a new live solo set as well as material for my first album. So, 'watch this space' for news on gigs as they are announced!

The next chapter is about to begin.