Whether you love it or hate it, pop music is one of the biggest and most listened to genres in the world.

From Gaga to Grande, Britney to Beyoncé, pop regularly rules the charts and over the years has dominated radio stations and streaming services alike.

For many emerging artists it can be a tough nut to crack, but it’s a challenge Cirencester singer Noella Usborne is looking forward to.

“I’ve been singing ever since I can remember,” said the 19-year-old. “I started learning how to play guitar and piano when I was seven or eight and I’ve been practicing since.

“I’ve been gigging in the local area in Stroud and Cirencester and I had a busking spot at Cheltenham Jazz Festival. That was doing more folky, singer/songwriter stuff, when it was only my guitar and my voice that I had access to in terms of production.”

Noella lives in Chalford but considers herself a Cirencester girl having spent lots of time in the town, including two years studying Performing Arts at Cirencester College.

She released her debut single ‘Unrequited’ at the beginning of March, an ‘alt-pop anti-love song’ that she wrote herself.

“I’ve been song writing since I was about 14,” continued Noella, “I think like every artist I can have ebbs and flows when it comes to writing.

“You can get writers block but you’ve just got to push through and like anything it gets easier and better the more you do it.

“I did have a problem writing about personal things, but I’m striving to write more about myself and articulate better.

“Even with my latest record it’s almost like I’ve written about characters, or my feelings but quite exaggerated, they aren’t based off truth yet.”

Noella recorded, produced and wrote the single alongside Sam Judd, one half of the Stroud-based electronic music duo KOMODO.

The pair met while attending Thomas Keble Comprehensive school, and Noella explains how working with Sam has been such a massive help.

She continued: “It’s been fantastic, he’s a much more able producer than I am. I’m much more of an instrumentalist and a vocalist and he’s good for translating my gobbledygook!

“I can say something like ‘can we put another boop there’ and he can do it. It’s been wonderful, a really enjoyable learning experience.”

Noella has submitted the single to BBC Introducing, which in the past has provided a platform for artists like George Ezra and Florence and the Machine.

When it comes to influences, Noella cites a number of people ranging from Russian producer Zedd to another BBC Introducing success story in Kate Lomas.

“There’s quite a lot of people I count as influences,” she added. “I think it’s important to nod towards my folk background and people like Lucy Rose and Regina Spector.

“Then I also want my stuff to sound really well produced so of course I look at people like Zara Larsson and Dua Lipa.”

Looking forward Noella is focused on the task at hand and is taking a measured approach to the early days of her career, refusing to rush into anything and concentrating on herself.

“I’m going to keep on writing and get more experienced with producing and maybe even do some self-producing,” she said.

“I want to do some more collaborations and hopefully release an EP soon. I really want to work on myself as an artist first.”