Betsy

Welsh songstress Betsy has come a very long way since she left her job at Belnciaga to pursue her true artistic calling, music. Having left a job designing for the prestigious fashion house, she returned home to Pembrokeshire to produce a three track demo for just £500 while living in her brother's spare bedroom. Taking a gamble that many in her privileged position may not have taken, Betsy risked a highly sought after job to stay true to heart. Having proved that the change of direction was worthwhile when signing a record deal with Columbia in the States and Warner Bros. internatinally, all eyes and ears are on the girl with the big voice as she arrives at the release of her eponymous debut.

Wales has proved time again that it is a breeding ground for vibrant talent. From those that become international icons like Dame Shirley Bassey, Charlotte Church and Cerys Matthews, through to the more niche appealing Gwenno and the flash-in-the-pan popstars Duffy, Wales has also shown that it has more than its fair share of striking female artists who are unafraid to break the mould. Betsy may be the latest in a long line of Welsh songsmiths, but she is no the less remarkable.

Boasting a vocal that could easily see her play a flawless Cher in a retrospective film of her life, Betsy has also produced an album that the living legend would have wished to make. Whereas Cher's last offering was the just above mediocre Closer To The Truth, Betsy's debut picks up where Living Proof left off, but adds its own spice to make it a record that is truly Betsy's own.

Opening with the immediate anthem Little White Lies, Betsy makes it clear that she is here to make your body move and your heart sing. As it's hypnotising beat gives way to the explosive Lost & Found, it is clear that this is a girl who can make pop sound credible without even trying to. As her passionate vocal shines, it is absolutely impossible to not be drawn into the album's energetic and passionate journey.

While Betsy tends to stay in the anthemic realm, the nuances of her more reflective moments - most notably Fair and Body Burn - are tender insights to the fragility behind the bold front. Equally notable is the gospel tinged Hope, which is the biggest deviation from the forthright pop that dominates the album. However it is the Praise You (Fatboy Slim) referencing Last Time We Danced that proves the album's euphoric highlight.

Though this is an album that stays true to the core sound that defined her single releases, it is far from a boring listen. Whereas a lesser songwriter would have struggled to keep the listener's interest, the strength of her songwriting and the beauty of her vocal ensure that this is an album that will dominate your listening for years, not just days, to come.