Diana Vickers

Songs From The Tainted Cherry TreeRCA ***

Like Dr Who'scybermen, The X Factor runners-up keep on coming.

This 18-year-old from Lancashire lost out to Alexandra Burke and JLS in 2008’s contest, though her quirky voice (she really does pronounce it “luuurrve”) and mannerisms, and her indie-ish style made her stand out from the parade of balladeers.

She's plainly hoping to win both the pop and indie fans – current single Onceis written by hitmakers Cathy Dennis and Eg White – and she's teamed up with the likes of Lightspeed Champion ( Me & You), Ellie Goulding ( Notice; Re-make Me & You) and Nerina Pallot ( Put It Back Together). She's even done a cover of The Sugarcubes' Hit(tip: never try to out-quirk Björk).

The blend of pop and indie works in her favour – and having a few catchy songs helps. Some punters may be confused, but at least they can’t say she’s just another Cowell cyborg. dianavickersmusic.com

Download tracks: Once; Put It Back Together; Notice