ALBUM REVIEW: Betsy by Betsy

Michael Upton reviews the debut album by Welsh singer-songwriter Betsy.

CHER, Adele, Jess Glynne, Grace Jones — that’s quite a powerhouse collection of impressive voices.

Newcomer Betsy’s self-titled album calls to mind all three, and more female icons besides, but somehow stands on its own two feet.

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Vocal range, gusto and passion — the Welsh singer songwriter demonstrates healthy helpings of each in her 11-track debut, which comes out on Friday, September 29.

There are also echoes of Lana Del Ray in not only the melancholy lament of Fair but the image presented by Betsy’s promo shots — equal parts trailer park grunge and Hollywood glamour (one finds her with sleek platinum hair and make-up weight-lighting in front of a stacks of tyres).

EDM tinged but fundamentally a dance-pop album, Betsy is well worth a spin.

Not everything works, with the odd skippable track, but there’s more hit than miss here, with strings and beats-laden Lost and Found an obvious radio-friendly standout.

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In a recent interview with the Guardian, the 26-year-old — who also understandably cites Annie Lennox among her heroes — made no bones of her lust for fame.

This opening salvo has every chance of helping her hit that target.