Melbourne-born Missy Higgins is a talented singer-songwriter you can't afford to miss, especially if you are a fan of Tori Amos or Dido.
Higgins started her music career in her early teens when she lied about her age to play with her brother's jazz band in local bars. She was discovered by the national broadcaster Triple J when she was at high school in 2001.
But the gifted musician put her recording deal on hold to spend a year backpacking across Europe for inspiration and to write more songs.
After being the supporting act for several local live artists on her travels, Higgins recorded her debut album The Sound of White in America with producer John Porter (Ryan Adams, The Smiths) and mixer Jay Newland (Norah Jones).
The album features 13 tracks written by Higgins, which prove her adept songwriting skills as well as her captivating vocal capability. The album opens with the heart-melting ballad All for Believing, the first song she ever wrote, and then follows with the acoustic guitar-driven tracks Don't Ever and Ten Days. She also shows off her sultry vocals in the moody pieces Casualty and This is How it Goes.
Despite having a name which brings rappers like Ms. Dynamite to mind, Higgins' songs are delicately polished, emotional tunes perfect for those chill-out moments.