Eddi Reader MBE (born Sadenia Reader; 29 August 1959) is a Scottish singer, known both for her work with Fairground Attraction and for an enduring solo career . She is the recipient of three Brit Awards and has topped both the album and singles charts . In 2003 she showcased the works of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns . In 1976, due to overcrowding the family was re-housed 25 miles from Glasgow, in the council development of Irvine, Ayrshire ; however, Reader returned to Glasgow (where she lived with her grandmother) in order to finish her compulsory schooling . She began playing the guitar at the age of ten, and started her musical career busking, first in Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street, then in the early 1980s in London and around Europe (where she also worked with circus and performance artists) . In 1984, Reader was working in Paris, under contract to a Parisian music company, singing for the composer Vladimir Cosma who wrote the music for the film DIVA in 1981 . But through her contact with the brass section session players The Kick Horns in London, she signed a contract with EMI, and for a brief time recorded two singles with the disco group Outbar Squeek . Around the same time, she met and asked Mark E . Nevin, a guitarist and songwriter from the band Jane Aire And The Belvederes to write for her and she recorded two of his songs for the Compact record company, calling themselves The Academy Of Fine Popular Music . They subsequently formed Fairground Attraction, together with Simon Edwards (guitarrón — a Mexican acoustic bass guitar) and Roy Dodds (drums & percussion) . In 1988 the band signed to RCA/BMG records and released their first single, "Perfect", which became a UK number one, winning best single at the 1989 BRIT Awards . Their first album, The First of a Million Kisses, was also a success, reaching number two in the UK Albums Chart, and winning best album at the 1989 Brits . .