CLYDEBANK girl Chloe Latimer has already hit Radio 1 with her stylish electro-pop - now she's heading to America, reports Jonathan Geddes.

The singer, who goes under the stage name Kloe, got played by Zane Lowe when she released her first track Grip last year.

A dark piece of pop that earned comparisons to the likes of Chvrches, the tune earned rave reviews, while the 18-year-old will headline at the Garage on Saturday night.

And she's already looking at teaming-up with writers in America.

"I'm going to LA to work with some writers and producers later this year," says Chloe.

"Meeting American people like producers is really exciting, but I can't get used to the accent - it's like they're all from TV or something.

"I've always wanted to go to LA and New York, but because I'm still 18 I won't be able to do anything other than work."

Chloe was left taken aback when Grip caught the attention of several DJ's, including Zane Lowe, who aired it on his Radio 1 show.

"We never expected to get Zane Lowe playing it," she recalls.

"It just seems to be a song that people can relate to, and as a writer that's the best feeling you can get.

"It was absolutely mental hearing it on the radio, and so funny.

"I was sitting with my band and I got an email saying you're sounding great on Zane - I thought surely not, and then my phone started blowing up with messages.

"Hearing Zane Low in that big voice saying 'Kloe, Grip,' that was amazing."

While she's only 18, Chloe has actually been making music for a few years.

Last year the Evening Times featured her as she geared up to headline King Tut's, performing under her own name, while she'd supported the likes of songstress Gabrielle Aplin.

But although things were going well for the singer's melodic, acoustic-centric pop, she was wanting to try some new ideas.

"After the King Tut's gig last year, I thought I'd just outgrown the singer-songwriter acoustic thing," she says.

"I just wanted a change and emailed someone I knew asking if they knew any writers who could help me experiment with new sounds."

That led her to working with Lewis Gardiner, the drummer with Glasgow synth-rockers Prides.

From there, she started adding more electronic sounds, resulting in the sleek, gloomy tone of Grip.

Deciding to shake things up wasn't an easy decision, though.

"In hindsight it was a big decision to make, but it didn't feel big at the time.

"I was just back from London aged 16 and I wasn't sure what I was wanting to do with my music.

"I thought the best thing to do was go away and write some songs I liked, and then decide what to do."

Yet while Grip and forthcoming single Hearts On Fire touch upon darker themes, Chloe reckons her music has a brighter spark.

She'll be displaying that both on an upcoming EP due to land in the spring, and at her Garage gig.

"This is the first gig under the new name, so it's pretty nerve-racking and a bit scary," she

says.

"But I'm more excited than anything else - people who've heard Grip might be expecting a gloomy show, but it's a full pop gig."

Don't expect any diva behaviour, though.

"Because I'm from Clydebank, there's no chance anyone there would let me get a big head," she laughs.

"All my band and my manager are so down to earth, and my mum would tell me off if I started behaving like an idiot."

lKloe, Garage, Saturday, £7, 7pm.