Months, miles, club shows, pub shows, halls, theatres, festivals, encores, second encores: through good old-fashioned gigging, word-of- mouth enthusiasm and constant, overwhelming radio play Amy Macdonald went from being an unknown teenage Scottish singer-songwriter to international star. Big, bold and dramatic yet intimate and touching, Amy's sound is a constant progress thanks to her dogged determination and commitment to her craft.

The unmistakable David Gray returns with a brand new UK tour this December. Following his sold out performance at London's Roundhouse earlier this year, the Irish troubadour brings his emotional folk melodies and beautiful yet sincere lyrics to town once again. David Gray has updated Van Morrison's blue-eyed soul and made it his own. Further evidence of that can be heard on his recent album Draw The Line. With a back catalogue of mature, well crafted pop albums such as White Ladder, A New Day at Midnight and Life In Slow Motion, you can expect a night to remember.

Peacetime, Eddi Reader's sixth solo album, follows one of the most successful records of her near-quarter century career. Though she has always dipped into traditional song - The Blacksmith from her beautiful debut solo record Mirmama; I Loved A Lad; Ay Fond Kiss and Jock O'Hazeldean with Fairground Attraction, the band that made her a star - this was something different: an album of songs by Robert Burns that came about almost by accident , became a word-of-mouth hit and soundtracked her long-come return home to Scotland.

2010  is undoubtedly the year of Ellie Goulding. She kicked off the new decade with a bang by topping the BBC Sound of 2010, winning the Critics Choice BRIT Award, and bagging herself a UK number one with debut album 'Lights'. Not bad for a girl that first attracted attention by posting home made demo's on her myspace page.

The Welsh lass sits somewhere between a singer-songwriter and synth-pop starlet. Like a kooky British version of Lykke Li or a more danceable Cerys Matthews.