Avani first began singing in her teens with a local South London band, but after a couple of years the band broke up. During the band's short career one of the people who had seen them and been impressed by her vocal ability and stage presence was legendary UK manager Tony Hall.

Tony's track record in introducing new UK urban music stars is second to none – in the Seventies he guided the career of the Real Thing, in the Eighties he managed Loose Ends, and in the Nineties he handled the career of Lynden David Hall

When Avani, now 24, walked back into Tony's office and played him some of her newly written solo material, he was convinced he had found one more extraordinary new artist to add to the UK urban roll of honour.

Her voice is unlike any other vocalist around, whether from the UK or US. She has the sheer vocal power to attack a song like “Don't U Worry” – the opening track of her debut Dome album – then conjures up a totally different, subtle mood on the intimate soulful ballad “Best Friend's Lover”, with its tale of a love triangle.

When Tony, together with co-manager Paul Johnson – once a Sony-signed soul singer himself, and more recently the manager of Shaun Escoffery - brought Avani's music to us at Dome, it took barely one play of the demo versions of these two songs for us to agree to sign her.

Several times in the past year, as a break from working in the studio on her own album, Avani has appeared on stage with Carl McIntosh at Loose Ends revival shows, singing the songs made famous by original vocalist Jane Eugene. Says Avani: “I love all those songs anyway – and it's been a real thrill working on stage with Carl. And now, to have him singing on my album, it's incredible.”

Rahsaan became an instant admirer of Avani's when he heard her sing, and since he has always been a huge Loose Ends fan, he could not resist duetting on "Watching You" with her and Carl .