Nominees

Cara Dillon (born July 21, 1975 in Dungiven, Co.Derry, Northern Ireland) is an Irish folk singer. In 2001, she launched her career as a solo artist in the UK with the eponymous Cara Dillon album. However, Dillon had been pursuing a career in music since her teenage years, progressing through folk bands

Óige and Equation and spending time working with her husband Sam Lakeman under the duo name Polar Star. She has also collaborated with artists from a variety of genres along the way.Dillon comes from an area steeped in Irish traditional music.

In 1992 she formed a band called Óige with school friends Murrough and Ruardhrai O'Kane, bringing her take on Irish traditional songs to Ireland, Scotland and further afield. During this time she also performed with big names such as De Dannan and Phil Coulter.Óige recorded two albums with Dillon: a studio and a live album. Inspiration was recorded in 1992 to sell at concerts in Europe. The live album, simply called Live, was recorded at a concert in Glasgow in 1994. Dillon left Óige in 1995 after being asked to replace Kate Rusby in a so-called folk supergroup Equation; however, she guests on their second studio album, Bang On, playing fiddles on the last track, "Maids Of Mitchelstown".

Dillon left Equation with original band member Sam Lakeman because of musical differences and together they immediately signed a separate deal with the same label. The duo was known as Polar Star. During this time Dillon formed a strong musical partnership with Lakeman. They recorded several albums with top songwriters and producers in the UK and San Francisco, but none of their work was released. The record label stated that the recordings showed no hit single potential.

Throughout Dillon's career she has ventured into many successful collaborations with a range of artists. In 1998, she was guest vocalist (credited as "Cara from Polar Star") for Mike Oldfield on the single from his Tubular Bells III album, Man in the Rain. In 2001, she featured on two tracks on the John Reynolds project Interview With The Angel, an album by Ghostland. Cara sang on the tracks Faith In Love and Sacred Touch Of Beauty, the former being the album's lead single. 2005 saw Cara guest on the soundtrack to the British comedy featuring Rowan Atkinson and Maggie Smith, Keeping Mum.