Kate Bush

One of the most ambitious, enigmatic and influential female performers of all time, Kate Bush continually fuelled fascination thanks to a sporadic career which defied the conventions of pop, challenged the preconceptions of women in music and single-handedly created the kooky songstress archetype. Famed for her swooping operatic tones, literary references and affinity for the fantastical, Bush emerged a fully-formed musical force at the age of just 18 when 1978 single "Wuthering Heights" saw her become the first ever female artist to top the UK charts with a self-penned song. Bush continued to push boundaries throughout the following decade, not only with her eccentric blend of new wave, prog, folk and art-rock and idiosyncratic lyrical themes, but also with the self-directed high-concept promotional videos which undoubtedly raised the bar for the art form. Bush's lengthy periods out of the limelight, particularly the twelve years between 1993's The Red Shoes and 2005's Aerial, only added to her mysterious allure, while the rapturous response to her first tour in 35 years in 2014 further confirmed her status as a British national treasure.