Ida Maria

A rare international star to emerge from Norway, Ida Maria's rabble-rousing yet strangely infectious rock style and forthright lyrics (written in English) have aroused much interest. The UK's venerable Times newspaper described her debut album as "skiffle on speed" while her confrontational live shows - which she describes as "energetic, enthusiastic and open" - have seen her head-butting guitars and recklessly throwing herself around the stage. Raised in a tiny university town in northern Norway, Maria went to boarding school in Bergen and went on to study music at university. As a child she was also diagnosed with synesthesia, a neurological disorder with the unusual effect of experiencing colours when she hears music. Her first album Fortress Round My Heart was released in 2008 and broke into the UK Top 40, while she had success with the tracks Keep Me Warm (featured in the TV series Grey's Anatomy) and I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked; which reached Number 13 in the UK singles charts and was included in the TV series My Life As Liz.