Florence and the Machine

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The Talent

12 February 2009, 15:49

Among all those expectant hopefuls, you could be forgiven for thinking Florence and The Machine shall be sitting at the Brit Awards quite contentedly, in the knowledge that they’ve already claimed the coveted Critics’ Choice Award.

However, that won’t entirely be the case, as the band now faces pressure to follow in the footsteps of last year’s inaugural winner Adele - and become one of this year’s big success stories.

Actually, responsibility rests solely on Florence Welch, who is the lone member of Florence and the Machine - it’s a bit like the situation with Mick Hucknall and Simply Red, except with infinite times more credibility. But if there are any expectations on her head, then at least she has the right backing in place.

Managed by über-hip DJ duo Queens of Noize, friends with Jack Peñate and Daisy Lowe, and mingling in the same circles as Jay-Z and Beyoncé, she knows all the right people to point her in the right direction. So it might come as something of a surprise that her leanings are decidedly arty and leftfield, albeit with some perky pop pulsing through its veins.

Florence’s musical potential was given its first real exposure when superb single Dog Days Are Over received extensive airplay in December, its passionate drive and hook-laden chorus marking Florence out as something more than a contrived “queen of quirk”.

She has since signed to Island Records, home to the likes of U2, Sugababes and Keane, and is working on a debut album set to be released around May.

Hopefully by then the fuss surrounding her won’t create unrealistic levels of expectation, as the 22 year old is the sort of artist who shall warrant your attention over a number of years, rather than for simply a few seconds as she steps up in front of an audience of TV millions to collect her first - though hopefully not last - Brit Award.

Last updated: 12 February 2009, 15:49