Quietly uploaded to Soundcloud last week, Laura Mvula’s "She" might be the most promising debut single of the year, the tip-toeing in of a new British artist destined for crossover hugeness. Classically-trained, from Birmingham, Mvula's apparently got backing in high places. She's signed to RCA Records in the UK, with Disco Naiveté reporting her album's being mixed by repeat Grammy-winner Tom Elmhirst (Amy Winehouse, Adele). Last week at iTunes Festival, Mvula played what she called her debut live performance, a jazzy and graceful half-hour set viewable in its entirety here. Twenty-five minutes in, Mvula twinkles into "She," and, though spare, onstage the song sounds even bigger than it does below. Grinning and a little nervous, she tells the crowd, "I hope you come to some more gigs as I get better and better." A limited 7-inch of "She" comes out October 22nd, and it's up for preorder now.
Stream: Laura Mvula, "She"
