The past 12 months have been, in Charlotte Plank’s own words, “absolutely mental”. The singer, writer and producer has released a string of her own poppy drum & bass anthems and collaborated with scene legends Rudimental. She’s also joined them onstage at festivals like Parklife, Glastonbury and BBC Radio One’s Big Weekend. While there were nerves ahead of taking to those big stages, Plank quickly discovered that she “thrives off that chaotic energy”.

It would be understandable for a new artist to shrink away from such a daunting spotlight but Plank’s never felt more comfortable. “It would be easy to pop up then pop off if you’re not prepared, but I’m not planning on going anywhere,” she promises. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt overwhelmed, I just feel in control.”. After years of laying the groundwork and working out exactly she wanted from her music, Plank is now exactly where she wants to be. “I know what the Plank sound is. I know who I am and I know what I stand for,” she continues. “This really is just the start. There’s so much more to come.”

From singing karaoke at home as a kid, music has always been the biggest constant in Charlotte Plank’s life. She started out performing as a teenager, singing covers of Soul artists she adored like Otis Redding, Amy Winehouse and Ella Fitzgerald but “it wasn’t what I wanted from a live gig,” she says. Everything shifted when she started going to raves as a 16-year-old though. “I just fell in love with this community of people that was brought together by music. It was scatty, but fun,” she beams. With a fresh wave of inspiration, Plank started dabbling with production in college and set about trying to incorporate her vastly different influences into something that made sense.