Home webcasts earn unknown singer record deal

A BRITISH singer has signed for one of the world’s biggest record labels after webcasting gigs from her living room.

Sandi Thom, 24, found her gigs were being watched by more than 100,000 people around the world every night.

Now the singer, who is from Scotland but lives in Tooting, south London, is on the books of RCA/Sony BMG.

Several record labels approached the aspiring star following her daily online gigs.

RCA label director Craig Logan said: "Sandi is a very talented artist with an already unique story.

"We're very excited that we're now going to be a part of that story as she develops into a major artist."

The signing was due to be webcast on the singer's own website, www.sandithom.com the first such signing in major record label history.

The signing follows Britain's first number one single based solely on computer download sales.

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley was only made available in the shops this week, but fans rushed to download it from the web after it was featured in TV ads for a radio show.

Until recently, download sales could count towards a chart position only if it was also available to buy in stores. But a recent change in the rules means downloads can be counted as long as copies hit the shops the following week.

The song notched up more than 31,000 downloads across all internet sites, a spokesman for record store HMV said.