She may be a skinny girl from a small town in Norway, but Sigrid Solbakk Raabe is not to be messed with.
Even the quietest song on the 20-year-old’s newly released debut EP is called Dynamite. The collection also includes Fake Friends, a stirring piece of electronic pop that shows her refusing to suffer fools gladly, and Don’t Kill My Vibe, which was inspired by a session with an older songwriter who didn’t get her.
The latter, having previously been named Radio 1’s Hottest Record in the World, is currently gracing the station’s B-list and approaching a million plays for its lively video on YouTube.
The vibe that she’s offering is one of soft verses that erupt into huge choruses, with her spiky attitude illustrated by an appealing crack in her singing voice when she gets louder.
Signed at just 16 to the same Norwegian record label as Aurora (of John Lewis Christmas advert fame) she moved to Bergen two years later and struck a new deal with major label Island. With two London headline shows on the way including her first next week, it’s a fine time to join her on her journey to uncompromising renown.
May 17, Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen, N1 (020 7419 4696, hoxtonsquarebar.com); Sept 13, Scala, N1 (020 7833 2022, scala-london.co.uk)