It’s been a good year for Hattie Briggs.

The London-based singer-songwriter has been performing virtually non-stop all over the country, and will be ending 2019 with a show at the Stroud Subscription Rooms this month.

“It’s been an amazing year,” she said. “Probably the best so far in terms of my music career.

“I’ve had a few headline gigs and touring with Alfie Boe was such a great experience.”

Hattie was asked to support Boe on the tenor’s 21-date tour, after he heard her busking at Paddington Station.

She continued: “He stopped and listened for a few songs and put some money in my case. It was quite surreal – once I recognised him I tried to sing my best and not stare at him so I didn’t make him feel awkward!

“I didn’t have a chance to speak to him then but he messaged me on Instagram later on and asked if I would open for him on his tour.”

The tour took place in the spring and saw Hattie perform in venues around the UK in places including Liverpool, Edinburgh and Manchester.

It finished with a performance at the Royal Albert Hall – where she received a standing ovation – and she says the whole experience was something she’ll never forget.

“It was quite tiring but also really energising, I loved it. Alfie, his team and everyone who worked on the tour was so lovely.

“We did some crowdfunding so I could take my band, and we performed at some amazing venues that really suited our acoustic sound. The audiences were brilliant and so kind.”

Hattie is originally from Chichester and now lives in London.

She lived in Stroud for five years, and it was whilst living in Gloucestershire that she decided to go into music full time, dropping out of her Russian degree course at Oxford University.

“I’ve been doing music full time for around five and a half years now,” she said.

“I’ve been performing since I was in school, but I didn’t start writing songs until I was 17. I never thought I’d be able to write but once I started I was hooked.”

When asked how she would describe her music, Hattie says it’s a “mix of pop and folk” and cites artists like Joni Mitchell and Jeff Buckley as influences.

With two albums and several singles and EPs already to her name, Hattie says 2020 will be a year for even more new music.

She said: “I love songwriting – it’s cathartic, satisfying and sometimes frustrating. I’ve been doing a lot of it this year, I like the storytelling side of it.

“I’m working with a live agency and so will be doing a lot of shows next year as well as releasing more music.”

Before then Hattie will be returning to Stroud to perform at the Subscription Rooms on Sunday 8th December.

She’ll also be joined by some special guests and says she can’t wait to get on stage again.

“It’ll be my first time back in Gloucestershire for a while,” she added. “It’s going to be a really good show.”