Glasgow musician Cara Rose has a busy year ahead of her.
The 25-year-old singer has racked up over two million Spotify streams and as she prepares for her largest show to date, she is being recognised as a finalist in this year’s Scottish Jazz Awards.
The talented performer, whose latest single Lovin’ has already gained thousands of listens, is up for the Rising Star Award at the 10th edition of the ceremony.
Cara told the Glasgow Times: “I’m still shocked that I was nominated for the final few for the Scottish Jazz Awards because I know so many talented folks in and around Glasgow.
“So yeah, I’m just honoured that I’ve been selected as part of the finalists and it’s great to be considered up there in the same calibre as other people that were nominated.
“It feels really lovely.”
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Cara, who grew up with artistic parents, has always been surrounded by music.
She said: “In terms of writing and singing and performing, I would make silly songs when I was younger.
“But more seriously, I had my first gig when I was about 16.
“I used to get piano lessons and every year they would have a concert for the students to play.”
While most students would play piano pieces, Cara would always choose something she could sing along to.
She said: “I’m pretty sure Where Is The Love by the Black Eyed Peas was one I did one year, which was fun.”
The memory makes her laugh.
Cara left school and studied songwriting for three years at Glasgow’s Academy of Music and Sound.
She said: “I got my foot in the door with other musicians and got to meet people that were doing the same thing as me.”
Growing up surrounded by such different types of music, from Nina Simone to The Specials, has shaped the sort of music Cara writes.
She said: “It’s one of the hardest questions I get asked, when people say, what sort of music do you write and perform?
“Because I find it very hard to pick one label for it. And I guess when I started out, even now, I don’t think to make music in a particular genre.
“There are little notes of different genres in different parts of my songs. I’ve got a big range of musical tastes.”
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She added: “I’m really attracted to tone and the stories that people can tell with a melody, like holding me with just a voice.
“I find it so powerful and intriguing.
“I’m very drawn to unique tones, like Nina Simone, Amy Winehouse, you know, ones that are recognisable to that artist.
“I just make the music that I do, and I find it quite hard to explain where it comes from because my musical tastes can be quite broad.”
Over the years, Cara has performed at some of Glasgow’s most famous venues, with King Tut’s, the Old Fruitmarket and the Barrowlands already under her belt.
She has just released tickets for her biggest show to date, a headline gig she has organised at Saint Luke’s in the East End and has a few smaller shows dotted in between.
Cara said: “Being back and performing live again is great and I’m super excited for the shows that I have coming up.”
Voting for the Scottish Jazz Awards closes on November 25, and the winners will be announced at a ceremony on December 8 in Glasgow.
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