“I never got formal training in music. I would just sit with my ear to the speaker and my hand on the needle. I'd listen to Wanda Jackson and think, 'How did she do that?,' and lift the needle and try it myself.”

Irish singer, songwriter, television presenter and multi-instrumentalist

Imelda May, born Imelda Mary Higham, is an Irish singer, songwriter, television presenter, and multi-instrumentalist. She is known for her rockabilly revival style and for a career that has moved across music and television. Her work is often associated with rockabilly, with a sound rooted in older styles of popular music. She has also been compared with female jazz singers such as Billie Holiday, which reflects the control and phrasing often noted in her performances.