Andrew Marston introduces Shiraz Hempstock (Worcestershire)

Shiraz Hempstock describes herself as a singer/songwriter with mature vocals.

She started performing with a choir aged 9; her first solo performance was at 11 in a coffee shop singing two Adele songs; by 13 she'd secured a place at a performing arts school in Birmingham.

At 14, Shiraz was practising at open mics in Worcestershire and she’s been going from strength to strength ever since.

Her current influences include Ed Sheeran, the 1975 and Nina Nesbitt – while her childhood influences included Miley Cyrus and Duffy.

"Amy Winehouse-esque vocal maturity from one of the newest shining lights on the local scene” - Andrew Marston.

• See our session snaps

MappFest took place in Malvern last weekend - and we were there!

The two-day event has a new chairman after festival founder Andy Mapp retired for heath reasons.

The 2018 edition was raising money for Headway, St. Richard’s Hospice, Malvern Community Action and Charlotte and Craig’s Saving Hearts Foundation.

• The biggest events in Herefordshire & Worcestershire

This is the 16th year of the event, from the team that are also behind Onboard The Craft. 

Headliners this year included Evil Blizzard, Senser, Quantum Fantasy and Australasia.

Last year Dr & The Medics were just one of a handful of bands performing at Stoke Prior Sports & Country Club for the festival.

• More music stories in our local news

This Saturday, some of the biggest names in '90s pop are coming to Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

Gabrielle, BoyzLife, Louise, S Club, Whigfield, East 17 and Chesney Hawkes will be on the outfield for an all-day spectacular at New Road.

Tonight, we hear from Louise (of Eternal), S Club and Chesney Hawks.

• The People's History of Pop

We're at the closing parties of Worcester's newest festival - celebrating ten days of art, music, dance, poetry, food and drink on South Quay.

The shimmering Weorgoran Pavilion is the creation of award-winning art, architecture and design studio NEON as part of The Ring arts programme, which is running throughout spring and summer to celebrate the county’s rivers and canals.

It also featured a commissioned soundscape, Shire Skies, by acclaimed Ledbury-born composer, musician and beatboxer Dave Crowe, that played throughout the ten days.

• See our photos from the festival

It's a pick 'n' mix shop that straddles the Herefordshire-Wales border and swells the population of Hay-on-Wye early each summer.

We were there, once again, with some of our favourite handpicked musicians from Herefordshire & Worcestershire, recording four sessions for broadcast.

• See our session snaps
• In conversation with Alan McGee

It was the biggest new music business gathering to ever to be held in the UK, with more than 100 sessions and 250 speakers ensuring every aspect of the music business was covered.

Held across three days, Amplify offered exclusive access to the UK music industry’s biggest names through intimate talks, music masterclasses and recording workshops.

This week, we hear about getting your music onto a national station - like Radio 1.

Annie Mac presents her new music show Monday to Thursday from 7pm, assisted by Jacob Rickard - who used to present THIS show on BBC Radio Kent.

• Our tips for 'making it' in the record industry

One of the kingpins of '90s dance music were Underworld, who actually formed in 1980 when Bewdley musician Karl Hyde met Rick Smith in Cardiff.

But it wasn't until the movie Trainspotting came out in 1996 that the electronica duo would achieve their highest success with the anthemic thumper Born Slippy.

That film was directed by Danny Boyle, the same chap that directed the Olympic Games in London, who commissioned the band to write some of the soundtrack to the 2012 event.

• Watch their set

Performing in Swansea was Olly Alexander and his band Years & Years - who topped the BBC Music Sound Of 2015 list.

Olly studied at Hereford Sixth Form and Hereford College Of Arts and became the band's lead singer after meeting at a house party and was overheard singing in the shower!

He then went on to support the former year's BBC Music Sound Of winner - Sam Smith, who also appeared in Swansea. 

• Watch their performance

If you run a venue or you’re a music promoter, then we want to hear from you!

Since the beginning of 2011, we've taken our BBC Introducing show out on-the-road to various areas across our patch to bring people a flavour of the local music scene.

Every month, we rock up at a different venue with a pile of microphones, cables and recording equipment along with several vans full of enthusiastic musicians!

As well as the bands being able to invite an audience, we also bring along a number of music industry professionals to comment on the live acts.

We tend to host our sessions on evenings/weekends is because it's normally a quiet time for venues - so effectively you get a free gig curated with the best bands (from the thousands who have submitted their music to us), full tech provided, plus tonnes of publicity from the bands and the radio station - so effectively you just need to open your doors!

To get involved, email [email protected]