Although it hasn't even been a full year since the release of Adele's 21, the success of that album may have already paved the way for Rebecca Ferguson's debut effort, Heaven, who also happens to be British. A few years ago, a track like "Nothing's Real But Love" might have been seen as something strictly for the Starbucks crowd due to its traditional sound and the lack of frills, but the demographic for this type of music has certainly expanded since then. The comparisons to Adele end there as I think Ferguson's voice has more grit to it and could easily lend itself naturally to some Stax/rock fusion. It's that extra bit of smokiness that makes everything here feel so pained, which is why I've been playing it a lot recently. Her voice is as distinct as they come and I'm betting she'll probably be huge if the album makes it here to the States.
Click here to visit her official website.
