Paloma Faith is an award winning and hauntingly beautiful British songstress. Her music evokes the soul, sass, moxie and that coy sexuality of Lena Horne or Aretha Franklin. Faith was born in Hackney, east London to an English mother and Spanish father. She grew up in north London with her mother after her parents’ divorce when she was four. Faith had multiple jobs before she was recognized for her singing talent.

Faith worked as a saleswoman at Agent Provocateur and as a magician’s assistant to name a few. She studied for a Master’s in Theatre Direction at Central Saint Martins. Faith has vehemently believed this helped her career immeasurably. “I did all my mad, young, wild stuff without cameras pointed at me,” Faith said. “So now I’m reasonably tame. It’s given me a certain level of confidence as well, because I know I’m capable of getting work.” Whenever Faith performs, she aims to put on a high octane electric good time. Faith entertains the crowd with an 11-piece band, including a dancing brass section to provide the fuel that powers her throwback to another era. This era of music is Motown- inspired soul with hints of romanticism and the forlorn of a good truthful relationship.

Faith’s newest album A Perfect Contradiction was just released in 2014. Faith is easily recognizable every time she puts on a show for her effervescent attitude, Sunday best outfits every day of the week and her superb signature scarlet bouffant and or curls. Though you may be familiar with Faith, a refresher course might be in order. Faith feels one’s fashion is better labeled “presentation.” In February of 2015, Faith won British Female Solo Artist at the Brits. She laments while she is thankful for the award she never felt commercial and that this was a commercial award. Faith brought the house down with a strikingly dark wardrobe delivered with superb vocals. She looked like the white witch’s edgier cousin in all black singing “Only Love Can Hurt Like This” in a rain shower.

Currently, Faith is busy recording her fourth album where she challenged herself to write about something other than relationships. Faith said, “At the moment its working title is There’s More to Life than Love. I’m excited because I think it’s important that a female artist writes about something other than her heart being broken.” Faith believes this is empowering for women and men to know they’re not the be-all and end-all. Faith said, “We have careers, we have ideas – we’re not just devoted to finding a man and having babies.”

Faith’s newest album is due to come out next year, and she promises it will be a move away from what she is well-known for singing, such as the ballad “New York” and “Only Love Can Hurt Like This.” “It’s not all doom and gloom,” Faith said. “Some of it is about hope and standing together. I hope it empowers young girls and boys to care for each other, and move away from this selfie culture we seem to be living in. Everyone’s doing selfies. I hear the word every day. It sounds very close to ‘selfish’.”

You might be familiar with Faith’s tunes “Picking Up the Pieces” and “Just Be” where her songwriting for lovers during the good times and bad times is perfectly on display. Take a gander at her powerful vocals on Sigma’s song “Changing” and her own tune “Stone Cold Sober” from her first album. In both tunes, Faith’s voice is fierce. This is the kind of music you want to crank to a high volume and hear in your crest to get you through anything, whether it is good or bad. In “Stone Cold Sober,” it’s perfectly clear you should not cross Faith or mistake her for being crazy. The lyrics “I can be wilder than the wind, 119 miles an hour I’m in a whole other dimension, dancing doubles on the floor” clearly express this idea. Faith doesn’t need your pity because she’s better without your cheating butt. “Changing” was a smash hit because Faith’s upper resister truly takes you to a higher plane of entertainment. It’s a fun song that gets you out of your seat and takes you on a fantastic musical journey.

Start listening to Faith, and if you’re already a fan, keep listening.