Up and coming: Hollie Cook

The daughter of Sex Pistol Paul Cook (and goddaughter of Boy George) whose disarming reggae pop is poised to pick up where Lily Allen left off.

What’s the story?

Cook has been acting and modelling from a young age, but was first noticed as a musician when she dropped out of performing arts school and ran off to join femme punk warriors The Slits, for whom she played keyboards and sang backing vocals until frontwoman Ari Up’s untimely death last year. Teaming up with reggae producer Prince Fatty, she started work on her own material and has since collaborated with Ian Brown, Jamie T and members of Big Audio Dynamite.

What’s the sound?

Cook calls it “tropical pop” but her self-titled debut album is lightly wrought old-school roots reggae by any other name. Cook’s sweet vocal style harks back to classic lovers rock exponents such as Janet Kay, while her love of the 1960s girl groups is evident in her dubby cover of The Shangri-Las’ Remember (Walking In The Sand).

What are other folks saying?

“Rather than imitating a Jamaican inflection, Cook brings a distinctly British pop-soul aesthetic to her reggae songs” – Forwardever

“This is kick-back-and-feel-good lovers’ rock for the 21st century” – Soundblab.com

Where can I hear more?

www.facebook.com/holliecookmusic

• Hollie Cook is out now on Mr Bongo Records