Aspiring actress and heartwarmingly fine singer-songwriter, Kari Kleiv was born in Kristiansand on the southernmost tip of Norway and has subsequently lived in Los Angeles, Japan and The Philippines. Along the way she has been the face of Minolta in the Far East and an aid worker in the slums of Panay.

Now, rather handily for the Fierce Panda Records A&R budget she resides in Holloway, North London. It seems a lot of residencies to cram into 22 years, but Ms Kleiv is no jetsetter. A bohemian upbringing (her father is a renowned film producer and her mother's own music dabblings led her to be described as "Norway's answer to Joni Mitchell") meant that the Kleiv offspring has turned out a sweetly dippy, gently unhinged soul with hippy leanings and happy/sad songs aplenty.

The last six months have seen Kari stealthily working the London underground scene. Backed by a motley crew of low key music characters and armed with an acoustic guitar she picked up in the Philippines for ten pounds, Kari's charmingly intimate live soirees at venues such as Kings Cross Water Rats, Charing Cross Borderline and the ICA recently won the big hearts and small wallets of Fierce Panda Records. Fierce Panda will be releasing a Kari Kleiv single ("When Can I See You/ Now" - ning 166 7") in April 2005 & mini-album soon after.