NEW York songbird Lucy Kaplansky will be weaving some musical magic when she brings her spellbinding voice to Huntingdon Hall in Worcester.

Lucy, a singer, songwriter and former psychologist has recently flown into England to give the British public a taster of her new sumptuous album.

The artist, who has landed soundtrack credits singing with Suzanne Vega on Pretty In Pink will soon be stopping off in Worcester to showcase tracks off her new album Every Single Day.

"I feel like this album is a real step forward for me," she says.

"The result I think is more sonically interesting and complex than anything I've ever done before."

Lucy has notched up three previous award winning solo recordings entitled Ten Year Night, Flesh and Bone and The Tide.

She began her music career singing in Chicago bars, moved to New York when she was barely out of high school, and became part of a community of songwriters such as Suzanne Vega, John Gorka and Bill Morrissey.

She later put her singing on hold to pursue a doctorate in psychology, and upon completing her degree worked with mental patients in a New York hospital.

But after returning to the recording studio she found her self signed to Red House Records and back in the music business.

"I always wanted to be a singer," says Lucy. "In the early 80s I decided I didn't want to be a singer anymore and went back to school.

"It was only at that point I figured out singing was always my first love and that by leaving music I'd be running away from a bunch of things I was scared of, like fear of success and fear of failure."

Since the September 11 tragedy, Lucy describes New York as "a city living in fear". "It's a really scary place at the moment," she says.

"I live in downtown New York, about a mile from the World Trade Centre.

"Far enough to be safe, but I saw it all from my window, which was very frightening."

Lucy says the sad irony of the disaster is that it has brought out the compassionate side of people.

"These are feelings you don't normally experience in New York City," she says.

"I love coming to Britain. The British people are always very appreciative and as an artist you can't ask for more than that."

Lucy plays Huntingdon Hall, CrownGate, on Thursday, December 13.

Tickets are £10 (£9 concessions). For further details phone 01905 23428.