After studying musical theater at the prestigious BRITS School, she signed a deal with indie label Gut Records, which went bankrupt before releasing any of her music.
Following a minor stroke at age 18, she gained a Sony publishing contract and penned hits for the likes of Chris Brown, Dutch X-Factor winner Lisa Lois, and Miley Cyrus (the American number two hit "Party in the USA").
After building up an established online presence, she signed to Universal Records and began working with the likes of hitmaker Dr. Luke (Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson), Atlanta rapper B.o.B, and R&B producer Labrinth on her debut album,
Who You Are. In 2010, her first single, "Do It Luke a Dude," originally written for Rihanna, reached number 25 in the U.K. charts and, following in the footsteps of Adele, Florence and the Machine, and Ellie Goulding, she was announced as the winner of the Critics Choice Award at the 2011 Brits.
