JAZZ diva Stacey Kent is one of America’s finest singers and has six bestselling albums and a string of awards to prove it.

Now she is here with a major UK tour, which arrives at the Regent Centre in Christchurch on May 22. American-born Stacey first came to Europe as a language student studying French, Italian and German.

A year at the Guildhall School of Music in London opened up the capital’s jazz scene for her.

A recording contract soon followed and with it her first album in 1997.

Since then Stacey Kent has been invited to sing at Clint Eastwood’s 70th birthday party and she has appeared on Parkinson and Breakfast with Frost.

Stacey’s latest album, Breakfast on the Morning Train, has gone platinum in France and Germany. She will be performing a mixture of classic standards as well as new songs written by her husband, saxophonist, Jim Tomlinson.