Polydor co-president Ben Mortimer has praised Mabel's "incredible attitude" ahead of today's (August 2) release of her debut album High Expectations.
The two-time Music Week cover star is riding on the crest of a wave after attaining back-to-back Top 10 UK singles with her latest hit Mad Love and the international smash Don't Call Me Up, both penned with hitmakers Steve Mac and Camille 'Kamille' Purcell.
"There's already a great interest in her," Mortimer told Music Week. "The album sounds fantastic, it's been quite a long journey from when the time we signed Mabel to where we are now.
"We signed her very early – there was literally one track, Know Me Better, and it wasn't even on DSPs [at that point]. I loved that song so much. There was no hype around it, she’d maybe had one play on Toddla T’s Radio 1 show, but I just really liked her. She walked into my old office back in Kensington High Street and had a great vibe about her.
"She's got such an incredible attitude to work and it's really refreshing. It's been really fun watching her grow into that role."
The British successes of the last few years have all taken between three and four years to really start crossing over
Ben Mortimer
Polydor
The 23-year-old scored her first Top 10 hit back in 2017 with Finders Keepers, which does not feature on the 14-track LP.
"It takes time to develop as an artist; there's so much that you have to learn and do," said Mortimer. "It's been well documented that the British successes of the last few years have all taken between three and four years to really start crossing over.
"In the modern world, you've got to be so flexible with the album format. You can add tracks as you go and it really suits pop artists in that respect. You don't necessarily get those big week one sales that more traditional artists do, but you can keep drawing people back to the album with singles – it's quite a fluid and creative process."
And Mortimer believes the recent Music Week cover star can fulfil her ambition of becoming a truly global artist.
"It really feels like it's starting to happen," he said. "[Don't Call Me Up] has been a genuine global hit record and has made massive strides for her even in America, where it’s been Top 20 in the airplay chart. This is her moment to do it around the rest of the world.”
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