Wales has a fine roll-call of female singing talent of course - Shirley Bassey, Charlotte Church, Katherine Jenkins...why, even Cerys Matthews, before she decided to shed all credibility and sit in a jungle cooing over a former Eastenders actor.
The latest singer to come out of North Wales is a blonde 23 year old called simply Duffy - and while the tag 'the new Dusty Springfield' may seem horrifically unfair on a brand new artiste, it's highly fitting for Duffy.
Possessed of an absolutely staggering voice, she starts off all quiet and coy, before belting out the lyrics like one of theose '60s divas. The song itself is stunningly atmospheric, a huge, epic torch song about hope and escapism, with producer Bernard Butler bringing to mind his early '90s work with David McAlmont.
Incredibly haunting and utterly beautiful, Polydor have a genuine star for 2008 on their hands here.
