Born and raised in East Dunbartonshire, Sutherland was a classically trained woodwind musician before picking up the guitar at the relatively late age 19. Putting her ambition to be a primary school teacher on hold, she left her degree course at Glasgow University, landed a publishing contract with Warner Chappell, and signed deals with both Elton John's management company, Twenty-First Artists, and Universal Republic Records. After recruiting a permanent backing band, guitarist Gordon Turner, bassist Scott Clark, keyboardist Michael Abubakar, and drummer Blair McMillan, she adopted the name Pearl & the Puppets, and spent much of 2009 touring the Scottish festival circuit and supporting the likes of Sugababes, Mika, and Elton John himself. Her debut album, produced by Stephen Street (Blur), David Kosten (Bat for Lashes), and Steve Chrisanthou (Corinne Bailey Rae), is due for release in early 2011. ~ Jon O'Brien