EMERGING singer-songwriter Katee Kross is hoping to set the stage alight in Stirling next month.

The 22-year-old is one of the biggest acts to sign up for the inaugural Forthside Festival at Whins of Milton, from May 3-4.

She will play the main stage on the Friday as Katee Kross and the Amberjax before heading off to perform at festivals all over the country, before a short tour of Germany.

Having been a regular performer at Molly Malone’s in Stirling, she is delighted to be welcomed by to the city and to play a part in launching the festival.

Katee said: “It’s always great to play independent festivals because they are always about the music.

“The people that come along to these events are the best kinds of people to play for and the promoters are more likely to be respectful of the musicians as well.

“We’re really looking forward to Forthside; it will be its first year, but we think there is a huge potential for success there. It is such a great line-up as well.

“The band hasn’t properly played in Stirling for a long while. We used to play in Molly Malone’s every Sunday and that was always brilliant.

Katee already has three albums to her name – two as a solo project – and one under the Katee Kross and the Amberjax banner.

Last month, the band also released a three-track EP called Dancing with my Past, with the tracks set to feature on the fourth album later this year.

The talented singer added: “It’s hard to pinpoint what we are; how we sound. We are kind of country, with some Americana and bit of a pop twist.

“From the country scene, we take some inspiration from the likes of Seasick Steven, Dolly Parton, First Aid Kit. And I take a little influence from the folk scene, like Dougie McLean and Findlay Napier.

“There is a wide-spread of influences, plenty from the Beatles, Bruce Springsteen and Glenn Campbell. Lots of classic songwriters.”

She added: “My mum and dad own a musical school and my dad is a guitar tutor. So, for me, it was just such a natural thing to go into.

“Still, there was a song. It was Don’t Stop Believing, from Journey. It was the first one I’d started to sing and play at the same time and there was just a spark in my dad’s eye.

“He would look at me as if to say: ‘You could really do this’. And he has been there for me since.”

  • Tickets to see Katee Kross and the Amberjax at the Forthside Festival are available at Skiddle.com