The young British jazz chanteuse Emily Saunders burst onto the London scene in the early 2010s with her sultry Latin rhythms, classy songwriting, and a remarkable ability for extended vocal improvisational technique that saw her widely praised by both niche and mainstream press. Critics judged Saunders fit to stand with her Brazilian heroes, raving not only about her skills as a composer and arranger, but primarily about her warm, mellow tones and remarkable vocalese improvisations, comparing her to the likes of Gretchen Parlato and Madeleine Peyroux. Her debut album, Cotton Skies, was released in July 2011.