Brandi Carlile

A gifted singer/songwriter whose rich voice and literate storytelling belie her youth (she was only 23 when she released her major-label debut).

The BRIT awards winner of Best British Female Solo Artist of 2006 needs little introduction these days - the evidence of her success is unavoidable in Britain today. By her own testimony, her rather personal and reflective music is rooted in her adopted childhood; 'I grew up knowing I could have had a million different lives. It makes your life mysterious and your imagination go wild.'

She's earned a solid reputation as a live performer and also pioneered the use of live sampling in chart music, which features significantly in her concerts with the use of a pedal she refers to as 'Wee B**tard'.