Bournemouth schoolgirl Amy Studt is the latest signing by Simon Fuller, the pop svengali who effectively created the Spice Girls. Don't dismiss her just yet, though - she may look like just another piece of pop fluff, but there's more to this determined 16-year-old than meets the eye. Unlike, say, Avril Lavigne (on whom she's clearly been modelled) Studt has some real life experience to back up her angst-ridden image, having suffered from ME, dyslexia and intermittent bullying. And while Fuller has drafted in the likes of Gary Barlow and Cathy Dennis to write most of her material, her basic authenticity still manages to shine through the corporate pop sheen. With plenty of potential hit singles here, and an image that's the perfect antidote to Britney Spears, Studt's potential is massive - let's just hope she's allowed to keep control of it.
