She may not possess a name that is as starry or as instantly memorable as those of other female singer/songwriters on the circuit but there is certainly nothing ordinary at all about the talents of Amy Smith and her stunning singing and song writing qualities alone should prove to be more than enough to set her apart from her contemporaries and put her on the road to stardom.

Liverpool born Amy has recently landed the biggest break of her career to date, having been chosen as the support act on the current Simply Red tour which will see her perform four nights in succession at London's prestigious Albert Hall as well as appearing at all the biggest indoor arenas across the country, guaranteeing her maximum exposure to audiences who can't fail to be impressed by an artist who is so naturally gifted. Prior to securing this coveted support slot, Amy has previously also opened shows for K.d Lang, Lulu, Ray Lamontagne and Jamie Cullum - with whom she shares a manager.

Twenty-five year old Amy is a graduate in Performing Arts (Music) from the renowned Liverpool Institute Of Performing Arts (LIPA), the Fame' style school with which Sir Paul McCartney has such close links. Having finished college, Amy continued her music apprenticeship by gigging regularly in bars and clubs across Liverpool and the North West and, it was during this period that she was spotted by someone connected to the highly regarded tribute band The Australian Pink Floyd who urgently required a replacement singer to perform with them at their concert at the Liverpool Pops festival that summer of 2003. So impressed were the band with Amy's performance that they subsequently asked her to join them on a six-month tour of the UK and Ireland, an offer she gratefully accepted. Around the same time as the tour offer, the young singer/songwriter had a meeting with the Universal Music group which led to her signing a publishing deal and the inevitable move down to London from Liverpool followed after she returned from her touring duties with the APF.

Those who have witnessed an Amy Smith performance will know that no song style seems beyond her capabilities, from folk to soul, from straight down the line pop to classic singer/songwriter territory, Amy tackles it all with great aplomb, blessed as she is with the jazzy sensibilities of Norah Jones, the clarity and pureness of voice of Eva Cassidy and Karen Carpenter, the soulfulness of a young Aretha and with the lyrical interpretation skills of Carole King. But it is that voice which first catches your attention, for Amy has the rare ability to land on each and every note with the same pinpoint accuracy as a laser-guided missile hits its pre-designated target.

Interestingly, it is male rather than female singer/songwriters that have had the greatest influence on Amy. "Dylan, Neil Young, Van Morrison and early Rod Stewart have inspired me the most to write", says Amy, "They are the artists who transport me to the point where I want to pick up a pen or sit at the piano. Sandy Denny is the only lady I listen to quite a lot."

Music has been a constant in Amy's life for longer than she can almost remember as she explains: "When I was a baby, my mum used to place my fingers on the piano keys and play tunes with them and then, when I was about two years old, my parents were in another room when they heard me start playing on my own. It just went from there and I've carried on playing ever since. Amy did have a few piano lessons early on but never really gained that much from them and is largely self-taught. "I had a number of different teachers for one or two lessons each and I'd give up because they'd try and make me play tunes reading music and I don't read music and so couldn't do it."

The young Amy started writing her own tunes from the tender age of six and began composing songs with words when she was only twelve. "I then wrote my first proper song when I was fifteen and that is a song I still sing now." But Amy does not profess to be the most prolific of songwriters. "I am not the kind of writer who can knock out ten songs a day or even three a week, I am probably a song a month type. When I got the publishing deal with Universal last year I was not that experienced at writing to be honest. Yes, I had been writing since I was very young but was never that prolific so it was a case of trying to fire up the engines. I am much better now and my aim is to be able to write more quickly but at the end of the day, the quality of songs for me is more important than the quantity."

Amy has little concern about entering a marketplace already very crowded with female singer/songwriters. "I hope and believe my stuff is going to be interesting to people. Folk will always make comparisons with me and other artists simply because we are female but I don't think my material is the same as other peoples' that is out there", she says before further adding that, "I actually think the sad thing is that the whole singer/songwriter thing has very quickly become a gimmick and it is the gimmick people with tire of, not the music of the good ones. I also feel it is a bit of a swizz because there are artists claiming to have written their album themselves and then you find out that they only co-wrote it which is absolutely fine provided they acknowledge the fact. I would never claim to have written something I hadn't because I know exactly what goes into writing a song and I get very angry at the idea that people can just lay claim to things when they have not put all the work in."

Right now Amy is in talks with a number of the major record labels about a deal to record her debut album. "I already have the publishing contract but need this next part of the deal to move things forward and in order that I can pay my rent!" Her four track The Landing Tapes EP' is currently though receiving plenty of national radio airplay, particularly from big admirer Michael Parkinson on his influential BBC Radio 2 show on Sunday mornings. Interestingly, it was Parkinson who was principally responsible for bringing the public's attention to the music of Jamie Cullum so, having the popular broadcaster on her side' bodes very well for Amy Smith. For further information on Amy check out her website: www.amy-smith.com but rest assured, her time is nigh.