YOU might not of heard of Rachel More yet, but trust What's On, you soon will.

The Bournemouth-born jazz singer is already a huge success story in Japan where her debut album, All My Tomorrows, has been a massive hit. And if recent sales figures in London are anything to go by Rachel is on the verge of stardom here too.

"My record company got a phone call from Tokyo to say how much people liked the album in Japan," says Rachel. "I've been getting a number of e-mails from Japanese fans who are eager for me to perform over there, so that's something we're trying to arrange at the moment."

The 36-year-old Kingston Upon Thames based singer was born and raised in Bournemouth - a town she still holds close to her heart.

"I go back home regularly as I really miss the sea. Living near London is great for my career, but I definitely want to move back to the south coast in the future and enjoy a much slower pace of life."

Originally trained as a classical singer from the age of 14, Rachel is no stranger to the hectic lifestyle of a performer.

"I began my professional career as a lead soprano for an ensemble company. This was a brilliant experience and great training for my voice as the heavy classical pieces helped me to develop vocal stamina."

After deciding that this style was too restricting, Rachel branched out into the world of cabaret and landed a six-month residency performing at the Hilton in Dubai.

"I performed a bit of everything, from pop covers to some older jazz numbers from the 1930s and 40s."

The crowd reactions to her jazz renditions prompted her to investigate the jazz scene.

"I went to loads of jazz clubs to see what it was all about, and found that I got a real buzz from it."

Rachel was hooked and put together a demo, which eventually led to her being signed to the well-known independent jazz label, 33 Records.

Recording her debut album whilst pregnant meant that it had to be put on the back burner once she gave birth.

"It was a couple of years in the making, but coming back to it with a fresh pair of eyes meant that I could look at it objectively."

Some might say that, at 36, it is difficult to describe her as a young talent. However, the nature of jazz means that that is exactly what she is.

"The great thing about jazz is its longevity. Unlike pop music, the songs and the style are timeless and successful careers span decades, so I'm really still at the beginning of the learning curve."

Rachel's album features covers of some classic jazz standards, and an original track written by London-based songwriter Peter Matthews.

"I'm really looking forward to working on my next album, which will include some more original material. Performing at the Isle of Wight Jazz Divas festival recently was great, and hopefully I will get the chance to perform at some other larger venues in the future."