Biography

Was given a guitar by a member of her church who encouraged her to write songs.

(June 2, 2010) Accompanied by virtuoso Herbie Hancock on piano, the couple performed Paul McCartney's ballad "Blackbird" during the "Gershwin Prize for Popular Song" award ceremony for the former Beatle. The lavish event, hosted by President Barack Obama, was staged in the East Wing of the White House.

Brought up in Leeds, Yorkshire.

Became only the fourth British female solo singer to have an album debut at #1 after her self-titled debut album was released in February 2006.

Her father is of Saint Kitts and Nevis descent and her mother is English.

Home is a sanctuary for me and the place where I can relax. Everyone should have the right to a safe and secure home.

The sea, the majestic sea, breaks everything, crushes everything, cleans everything, takes everything...from me

I think the [music] industry really suffered from music being available online because it made young people feel, "why should you pay for music, if it's so readily available for free?"

I feel like it's me singing back to myself as a younger person and saying have confidence in being a bit different. I really felt I didn't fit in. My dad was from the Caribbean, my mum was English, we lived in quite a white area but we were quite poor, but also quite brainy, and I was a really, really skinny child so I felt a bit awkward about all these things.

I feel like it's me singing back to myself as a younger person and saying have confidence in being a bit different.