Eliza Doolittle Talks Exclusively To 'Into The Spotlight' About Wanting: To Bring Back Classic Pop Music, To Have A White Lion And For Cesc Fabregas To Stay At Arsenal!

So Eliza, how did you break into the music industry?

I always wanted to be a singer from a really young age. I just did loads of gigs all the time and was writing all the time. Just trying to get myself out there as much as possible. And the more and more people that heard my music, the more people I met through gigging.

Has your grandmother (Sylvia Young, founder of the theatre school) helped you along the way?

No, not at all. She actually didn’t know I could sing until I played her some of my stuff. What I thought was important was to make it my own way, and not get any help from anyone really. Just kind of do it myself.

What music did you grow up listening to?

When I was younger I listened to a lot of UK Garage and R&B, but then I opened up my mind and then when I got a bit older I loved soul: Stevie Wonder, Minnie Riperton; and I like rock: Radiohead; and love retro: Jeff Buckley. I like a load of stuff really, my iPod is pretty eclectic.

You've been likened to Lily Allen, but who would you compare yourself to?

Nobody! I like to think that I’m unique, and although I have influences and I listen to a lot of different music, I like to think these influences help me to create something different.

How would you describe your style of music then?

I find it quite difficult to describe it. I like to think that it’s pop because it’s quite catchy and upbeat, but I would like to think of it as less bubblegum pop and more classic pop, in the sense that The Beatles and Ray Charles were in the same chart in the 60s, and that was called ‘Pop music’...I quite like the idea of bringing that back again.

How does it feel to have released the debut album (only beaten in charts by Eminem and Kylie!)?

Amazing! It feels like my whole life built up to this moment. It’s just a great relief – I love it!

What are your aims for the rest of this year, and longer term?

For the rest of the year I hope to do lots more gigs; I’m touring with Paloma Faith in November so I’m looking forward to that. And then lots more festivals, like Glastonbury, The Secret Garden this weekend, V Festival. Just try and get more and more people hearing my records really. Hopefully travel a little bit, and get a few people in Europe and America to hear the records and introduce them to my music, whilst keeping everything ongoing in the UK as well. For the rest of my life I just want to make a career out of this and basically just travel the world singing my songs. Round the world people wanting to hear me - that’s the dream.