By Victoria Barker

AMERICAN singer-songwriter Marie Digby was declared a YouTube sensation when clips of her performing her acoustic version of Rihanna's hit, Umbrella, went viral on the video- sharing website in 2007.

But Digby, 26, was already signed to a record label, Hollywood Records, and had already cut her first album, Unfold.

So, why did she turn to the Internet?

On the line with my paper from her home in Los Angeles, Digby said: "I had some close friends who were signed, and dropped, before their albums came out. I wondered if that would be my fate."

Digby, whose mother is Japanese and whose father is Irish, needn't have worried.

Unfold was released last year and songs from that record - including first single Say It Again - were featured on television shows like Smallville and ER.

Her second major studio effort, Breathing Underwater, hits stores here today.

And though it hits stores in the United States in September, it has already been leaked online.

Not that Digby minds.

"I knew that if the music got out and people wanted to share it, then that was really only a good thing for me," she said.

Her Singapore show comes after a showcase at Zouk last year.

This time, she'll be doing some experimental things with her sound.

"I'm sure there will be moments of success and moments of embarrassment," she said with a self-deprecating laugh.

"I hope people will be open-minded."

vbarker@sph.com.sg

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