Straight as an arrow, Tasmin Archer's first single, "Sleeping Satellite", shot to the top of Britain's pop charts, remaining there for three weeks, and was voted the 1993 BRIT Award, the Grammy equivalent, for "Best Newcomer."

Archer hails from Britain's gritty Northern city of Bradford. In the tradition of Judy Garland, Chaka Khan, and Edith Piaf, the sheer size of her swelling voice contradicts her fragile frame.

There's a magical solemnity combined with a grand rock swing to "Sleeping Satellite" that captured a country's imagination and catapulted Archer to "instant" celebrity after a lifetime of musical struggle and searching. Those that listened further were captivated by the depth of the song's theme - questioning human priorities, the arrogance of our urge to master nature that risks the planet's collapse.

Great Expectations, the album from which "Sleeping Satellite" is launched, is that rarety, an album whose first big hit is but a hint of the entire album's strength. With her two long standing musical cohorts, keyboardist John Beck, and guitarist John Hughes, Archer is unafraid to gift-wrap some serious comment in instantly appealing, melodic packages.

The ringing bravado of "Lords of the New Church" questions the duplicity of powerful men who trade in hypocrisy; "Steeltown" celebrates the depressed North of England towns whose economy has collapsed in recent years, but whose spirit refuses to let their community die; and the searing, passionate "In Your Care" talks not only of child abuse as it currently (and rightly) crowds our headlines, but also of the subtler cruelties inflicted by adults on children, and by children on each other.

As Archer puts it, "Kids should have an equal chance of success; we all need the right kind of push."

The universality of her vision is evident on a song like "Somebody's Daughter". "It's a woman's kind of song about females breaking away, leaving home for the first time, changing things for themselves as women; or "Ripped Inside" which reflects upon rape and other forms of violence against women."

The choice of serious subjects for their catchy, engaging music was a turning point for Archer, Hughes and Beck:
"We'd had enough of those "I love, you love" kind of lyrics. We decided to talk about things that were more political, and more personal, but still keep it poppy. Making music is like therapy in a way. You get things out that you're not happy about, or aren't discussed. I wanted to explain to people how I feel about things, in a nice way, instead of just sitting there. It's a great way to give pleasure to others, as well as yourself."

Archer's choice of the album title is revealing. Inspired by British writer Charles Dickens' book of that name, she was fascinated by the 1946 black and white British movie version, a staple of Sunday afternoon TV viewing for all British kids. The leading character, young Pip, became an inspiration. Says Archer, "Pip was always reaching for something, he felt he deserved more. In the end, it was kindness that got him what he wanted in life." Her affinity for Pip is equally reflected in Archer's trademark Dickensian dress style, reminiscent of a sassy survivalist street urchin.

The same instinctive urge for progress that propelled Pip to fulfill his great expectations, pushed Tasmin Archer to beat all the odds and enjoy the view from the top of the charts.

Born to Jamaican parents, the young Archer found little direction for her yearning for music. Although her famly are all major music fans, they weren't musicians. At church and at school, the belting strength of her voice was ill suited to the genteel British choir aesthetic. Nonetheless, she stubbornly persisted in writing songs on her own into a Walkman in her bedroom, and seizing every singing opportunity that came up.

Leaving school, she began leading a double life; working in dead end factory jobs by day, trading her work clothes for more glamorous gear at night, when she would either sing with one of a series of bands, or spontaneously jump on the stage and belt it out with the local pub groups, "when I'd had a few too many."

Her first proper group, Dignity, remarkably failed to appreciate the dominating, almost operatic power of Archer's range. Nonetheless, one member, Philip Edwards, did realize her distinctive talent, and became something of a mentor for the shy, budding singer, whose setbacks had shaken her confidence.

By this time, determined to better her situation, Archer had taken a year's college foundation course, had aquired white collar skills, and was doing office work. Experience had taught her that her co-workers rarely appreciated her musical efforts, so Archer continued her double life. When Philip Edwards opened a recording studio he brought her music into focus by inviting her to work there, singing back-up with groups he was recording. It proved a frustrating process for Archer who couldn't help overpowering the visiting groups with the intensity of her performance.

It was when she began collaborating with John Hughes and John Beck that Archer really found her voice, finally working with a team who understood, appreciated and respected her. "They had faith, and they listened to me, while other people just didn't see it. I wanted to contribute to something; I didn't want to be a singer who just sits around and watches other people do the work." Working in their bedrooms and kitchens, they ran through a series of musicians until they realized that as a songwriting/performing trio, they had a certain chemistry.

Calling themselves the Archers, a jokey double-entendre reference to a popular afternoon radio series, they began sending tapes to publishing companies. It took five years of development and faith, but the three finally found themselves with management, an EMI recording deal, and, surprisingly swiftly after the slow build up, stardom.

There's one particularly prophetic track onGreat Expectations called "The Higher You Climb" that details the all too common set-'em-up-knock-'em-down mentality, concluding triumphantly, "I can see what's right and I'm on the right track."

Great Expectations proves that however high our expectations of Tasmin Archer are, her talent is aimed squarely at her target, and her aim is good.