No Room For Doubt

Bathed in the warm glow of the studio lights above and armed with just a guitar and her-heart melting smile, Lianne La Havas' debut television performance on Later… With Jools Holland in October last year was the beginning of her ascent to stardom. Beamed to households throughout the UK, the London-born artist left an indelible impression on captivated viewers and a live audience that included future touring partner Bon Iver. A virtual unknown at that point with only an EP to her name, La Havas' breathtakingly pure vocals and casually endearing demeanour enamoured her to thousands, paving the way for a life changing 2012.

Is Your Love Big Enough? was released almost nine months later to rave reviews and a top-five breakthrough on the UK album charts, with music legends such as Stevie Wonder and Prince immediately jumping on the bandwagon. A fan of both musicians, their support has become a highlight in a year full of them. “My god, all my dreams came true in the space of a couple of months,” a still stunned La Havas enthuses. “I just still can't believe that these things have happened. And they're both really great people, just lovely people. I actually cried when I met Stevie Wonder! Just being around him, I don't know, it was a really amazing sensation.”

Speaking from her tour bus immediately after a show at Oxford's O2 Academy, La Havas' comment more and more rings true for her own fans. The simplicity of her early work meant her voice was centre stage from the start – a smooth, velvety croon that has drawn comparisons to everyone from Adele to Feist. The album itself is just as striking, a charming collection of jazz and soul tracks brought to life by the creative production of Matt Hales, better known to audiences as Aqualung. “He's another one I always wanted to know,” says La Havas of their fruitful partnership, “just from hearing the music and seeing him on TV and stuff. And then one day I got the opportunity to work with him – probably one of the best decisions I've made, to go to that session.”

Having worked with US singer-songwriter Willy Mason on early single No Room For Doubt, La Havas continues to build on an incredible list of collaborations for an artist still so early in her career. TV On The Radio's celebrated guitarist and highly in-demand producer Dave Sitek was one added early on in the album's development. “That guy is a crack-pot,” exclaims La Havas, “but in the nicest way. He's so funny and absolutely lovely. And he works very differently from Matt Hales in that he kind of leaves me to it in the studio and I was able to find my own way around whatever I was trying to create. He'd just come in, acknowledge it, encourage me and then go away again; then we'd hang out, have dinner, and then he'd work his productional magic on it.”

The album's success was a welcome surprise for the singer, after setting modest ambitions initially. “I just wanted people to like it,” laughs La Havas. “I know that sounds cheesy, but that's all you ever hope for as an artist. I think I'm quite sensitive and I can't take criticism very well. So if people like it and then tell me about it that's really great. And if they don't like it – don't tell me about it. That's great too!”

Lianne La Havas will be playing the following shows: