Debut is getting Closer

Unguarded will be out on January 26, with tracks including last month’s single release Closer – written about being away from her family, and Do You Even Know – penned in her shed, right here in Blackpool.

The 21-year-old has had strong airplay from Radio 1, headlining the station’s Introducing Stage at this summer’s Reading and Leeds Festival.

The hugely anticipated 12-track album looks set to further the singer’s position as one of the most exciting talents in homegrown music.

From writing alone in her bedroom, at home in Blackpool, Rae has this year gone on to win industry fans including Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Laura Mvula and Bombay Bicycle Club - whose number one album So Long, See You Tomorrow she appears on.

Speaking about her tracklisting, Rae said: “I’ve always liked to visualise things in circular patterns in my mind: A full circle journey, a complete tale and a finished story.

“I see my album as a coming-of-age tale, from start to finish, from then to now.

“I guess it’s a series of diary entries documenting these important years of growing up and learning. I’m not trying to be cryptic. It’s really simple. That’s just how I see it. I’m just being completely myself.”

The completed album comes on the back of several summer festival appearances – including supporting Tom Jones at Lytham Proms in August, as well as a brief headline tour in September and dates supporting George Ezra last month.

Tonight the European leg of that tour begins in Amsterdam.