Inverness singer and Tik Tok sensation Katie Gregson-MacLeod will be going against Grammy winner Harry Styles for a prestigious Ivor Novello songwriting award.
The Scottish history student’s song Complex – which first drew worldwide attention – has been nominated for Best Song Musically and Lyrically at the Ivor Novello awards.
Katie will be up against big artists such as the winner of the Grammy Album of the Year, Harry Styles.
The 21-year-old singer-songwriter memorably first rose to fame last year after posting a 45-second clip of the break-up track.
In just four weeks after posting, Complex reached more than 7.1 million views on Tik Tok.
After well-known stars such as Tom Walker and Camila Cambello uploaded their own covers of the song, Katie struck a deal with Columbia Records.
She has since released an EP of Complex and her first album.
Katie going up against major stars for Ivor Novello
The Inverness-born singer is one of five nominees for the Ivors Academy award.
Apart from Harry Styles and his song As It Was, Katie is also going head-to-head with stars Tom Odell, Florence + The Machine and Sault.
Before her career “skyrocketed” the Edinburgh University student worked a summer job in Perk Coffee and Doughnuts in Inverness.
@katiegregsonmacleod From the drafts on the day I found out. Nominated for ‘Best Song Musically and Lyrically’ next to Harry Styles, Tom Odell, Florence and Sault. Thank you for all your love. And THANK YOU @The Ivors Academy ♥️ #theivors
The local business and Katie’s “safe place” was soon breached after three record companies turned up vying to sign the singer-songwriter.
Katie signed with Columbia Records which is home to Adele, Harry Styles and Bob Dylan, and teamed up nine-time Grammy award winner Greg Kurstin to write her first album.
Speaking to The Press and Journal last year, the singer said she had been writing songs even as a young girl.
She said growing up in the Highlands, her upbringing would always be “embedded” in her music.
“The Highlands will always be very important to me and my music, I feel very lucky to have grown up where I grew up,” she added.
Katie will be performing at several gigs in the next year including Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival in Inverness in July this year.
Conversation