Jessica Goyder is a natural-born traveller. The luscious-sounding singer-songwriter may live in Charlbury, west Oxfordshire, but spends much of her time on the road.

And it shows in her music. Growing up in India and Ethiopia, she has spent large chunks of her life in Australia, the Far East and Latin America, and now spends half her time in Spain.

"I've been quite nomadic," she laughs, as she talks to The Guide en route to Spain, this week.

"That's where my music comes from, and I talk about travel in my songs."

Though still unsigned, Jessica is making waves with her velvet voice and gloriously laidback songs - some with a mellow Latin flavour. Her debut album will be out later this year.

"My dad used to work for Oxfam so when I was a baby we moved to India for four years, then to Ethiopia for another four - and then to Charlbury.

"I have stayed here since, but have travelled a lot and lived in Sydney and Barcelona, which is where it all kicked off for me. I've also played in Brazil and Cuba."

Uncommonly for an unreformed traveller, Jessica's instrument of choice is that most importable of beasts, the piano.

"I've been playing it since I was six," she says.

"I was good at it too, but when I was 17 I was quite ill, with pneumonia. It left me deaf in one ear, and I forgot everything. So I picked up the guitar, which was good for travelling.

"It was like having a dog! People would come up to you and I met people to play along with. But then a year-and-a-half ago I went back to the piano.

"I don't know why ... I suppose it was just a calling. I knew songwriting was where I wanted to go."

And what does it sound like? "The music is very melodic, the tunes are beautiful and the words are well thought-out and important. It has a sprinkling of Latin sun, and has a whole range of influences including Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos, Norah Jones, and African and Brazilian music.

"And there is so much soul in the piano. I could survive without a guitar, but not the piano."

Oxford scene-watchers may also know Jessica for a different reason: she's the sister of Bernard Goyder, fiddle player with Charlbury-based indie-rockers Tristan and the Troubadours.

"It's great what they are doing," she says. "It's only him and me that are musical in our family though. I have two sisters but they are a doctor and a psychologist, and are much more serious!"

Though now in Spain, Jessica is flying back in time for one of her biggest ever gigs - at Cornbury Festival.

"I played at the first one - on the main stage after Jools Holland! I sang everyone home.

"Organiser High Phillimore is really great and is doing a lot to support local music. And the festival is amazing. It's in beautiful countryside, with good music, and is family-orientated but still very cool."