Norwegian singer-songwriter Sigrid Solbakk Raabe has rapidly risen to fame over the space of a year, going from being a locally known talent to a global star. Her unique, raspy vocals and uplifting tracks have caused attention to be placed on the up-and-coming musician over the last few months, now resulting in her global recognition as the next female talent of her generation.

At only 21 years old, Sigrid has achieved phenomenal success entering 2018 having won the BBC Sound of 2018 award, which has previously been awarding to the likes of Adele, 50 Cent and Sam Smith.

This feat is made even more impressive by the fact that she has only released 5 mainstream songs, exemplifying her quick success as a global star. She adopts her own original style in all of her music, not allowing herself to be contained or shaped by anyone. The pumping beats and floating synths that are apparent in all of her music make listens want to cry and dance at the same time, portraying her own vulnerability in her powerful music.

Don’t Kill My Vibe was the single that threw Sigrid into mainstream popularity, with the track going viral not long after its release with Island Records in February 2017.

This assertive track was inspired by an unsuccessful recording experience Sigrid previously had, where she was overshadowed and underestimated due to her young age and gender. Her husky, strong vocals allow her to deliver raw emotion through her music, with her upbeat pop song inspiring and empowering her listeners.

Sigrid has since released 4 tracks with Island Records, her most recent of which being a cover of Leonard Cohen’s classic Everybody Knows for the new Justice League movie. Putting her own indie pop spin on this well-known track, her raspy vocals compliment Cohen’s own technique, whilst remaining true to her vibrant style.

Although only recently gaining mainstream popularity, music has been a big part of Sigrid’s life since a young age, with her siblings Tellef Raabe and Johanne Raabe both having music careers of their own. After briefly performing in her brother Tellef’s band, Sigrid launched her solo career with her debut single Sun, released in 2013.

It was seen as her initial breakthrough track, beginning her national fame in her home country, Norway. Sigrid initially only saw music as being an enjoyable hobby, rather than a career path, with her gaining her major-label deal with Island giving her the platform to showcase her talents globally.

Despite gaining global recognition, Sigrid is remaining true to herself and her original style, not letting herself be moulded by the limelight. Her performances embody her fun-loving character, with her recent performance of her popular single Strangers on the Graham Norton Show exemplifying this.

Although very new to the music scene, Sigrid’s presence on stage looks extremely natural, as if she has been entertaining large crowds for years. Her fun-loving performances are engaging for the audience, with her stylish dancing on stage showing the enjoyment she gets from performing.

2018 is set to be an extremely busy year for Sigrid, with her about to begin her UK tour, beginning by performing at her sell-out event in Brighton’s popular music venue Concorde 2 on Monday 12th March. She will also be performing in other major UK cities, including London, Leeds and Manchester.

Later in the year, she is also set to be appearing at Leeds and Reading Festival, giving fans plenty of opportunities to see Sigrid’s upbeat performances live throughout the course of the year.