Who is she? Born in Hackney, London, 24-year-old Paloma Faith is a half-Spanish, half-British ex-magician’s assistant, trained contemporary dancer and St Martin’s alumna with an MA in theatre direction.

What is she famous for? A former performer in a Burlesque show, she’s not only a talented singer but an actress and quirky vintage fashion icon, too.

Distinguishing features? Forties-styled red hair, a giggly London accent, jazz-influenced throaty singing style and a distinctly off-the-wall attitude to life. Paloma’s like a character from a fabulous fairytale or an erotic circus.

Career high? Her first two singles have both been chart hits: Stone Cold Sober and New York. She’s also appeared in the films St Trinian’s in 2007 and in Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.

Career low? Hard to say because her music’s been a big success, but she admits she has a bizarrely varied CV. "I've been a life model, a ghost in a ghost train, a cabaret artist and an Agent Provocateur sales assistant," she says.

Significant others? She currently has a boyfriend, although presumably not the one who went off to the Big Apple and fell in love with it so much he stayed.

Not to be confused with? Paloma Picasso or Faith Hill

She says (about X Factor): “What the hell are they doing? It’s so weird, especially the first few rounds where they make a mockery of the people who really believe they can sing. Some of those people have special needs or mental problems and they use them for ridicule, it’s almost like medieval times where they’d throw fruit at the fool.”

Interesting fact: Paloma became friends with Bond girl Gemma Arterton when they filmed St Trinian’s, and the pair go trampolining together.

PALOMA FAITH plays the Liverpool 02 Academy on Tuesday, Nov 17.