Martha Ffion came to Glasgow to study classics – eight years later she’s become one of the city’s brightest musical sparks.

The songstress is readying herself for a busy Celtic Connections, as she will headline the Hug & Pint on Tuesday and then support Mull Historical Society at St Lukes in early February.

The shows come as the Irish native continues work on her first album, due later in 2017 and following on from some well received EPs that displayed her talent for classic pop, rock and folk.

“Celtic is a festival I’ve always dreamed of playing, so to be involved in not one but two shows is really amazing,” she enthuses.

“I’m a fan of Mull Historical Society, although I admit it’s the hits I love most. But he’s a great musician, so playing with him is very exciting, and St Luke’s is a beautiful venue. My own show is part of Independent Venue Week, which I think is really important.

“I wouldn’t be where I am without independent venues which allow artists to put on their own gigs and be creative with that as well, and the Hug and Pint in particular is very special to me, because they’ve been supportive from day one. Glasgow’s really rich in those sort of venues as well.”

Last year’s Trip EP marked Martha’s first outing on the Turnstile label that’s home to acts like Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys, and came after her debut release on Scottish indie label Lost Map caught the attention of the right people.

The singer admits being signed to a label like Turnstile is a funny experience, though.

“They don’t work with a lot of artists but they are really concerned with the ones that they do work with and it’s about not being a flash in the pan but having a meaningful career within music, which is what I want,” she says.

“They don’t try and shape their artists or tell them what’s right, they have confidence in the people they are working with and that comes across with the likes of Cate Le Bon and Gruff Rhys, who play by their own rules.

“It was a shock when they got in touch and totally overwhelming. It’s amazing to be part of the label – you look at the other acts and sometimes I get nervous that there’s been a mistake, so there’s a pressure there. I think that’s a good thing though because there’s a standard to live up to, and it means you won’t ever get too comfortable.”

The results of that experience will be heard on Martha’s debut album, which she’s currently working away on in Chem 19 Studios near Blantyre. Although she’s released EPs and singles before, the album has one big change from how she has previously made her music.

“All of the stuff I’ve recorded previously has been with friends in bedroom studios, so this is the first time I’ve really been in a professional studio and that’s still a bit daunting,” she admits.

“But the EPs have given me a lot of insight into the process of recording and that did prepare a bit, while it was nice to get to grips with recording things with people I was comfortable with…

“My main preoccupation is just doing the album to the best of my ability. I want to look back on it with a feeling of pride and that I did it exactly how I wanted it to.”

There was one exception to that previous recording rule, however. Last year she was invited to work with popular guitarist RM Hubbert on his new album, Telling The Trees, where she performed on the track The Unravelling.

“That was the first time I’ve ever collaborated with anyone on a song,” she says.

“Normally I’m a bit of a control freak with the writing process, so it was really interesting to be given a piece of music to start with and then work around that. But it was an absolutely amazing experience - I’d never met Hubby and was an admirer of his music, but with no idea he’d ever heard one of my songs.

“He emailed directly to ask if I was interested and I immediately said yes, but when I looked at the other names that were going to be on the album, I thought he must have made a mistake…”

Martha Ffion, Hug & Pint, Tuesday, £10, 7.30pm

JONATHAN GEDDES