IRISH country music sensation Lisa McHugh believes she’ll feel right at home when she makes her Inverclyde debut next month.

The multi-talented 27-year-old singer will play The Albany in Greenock on March 15 in what will be her first performance locally.

Lisa grew up in Glasgow before moving to Ireland seven years ago where her career has taken off, winning numerous awards including ‘female vocalist of the year’ five times and an ‘outstanding achievement’ prize on the World Stage 2012 when she appeared on the Grand Ole Opry, the home of country music, as a guest of the legendary Gene Watson.

Despite her early years just up the M8, Lisa has never performed in Inverclyde and can’t wait to make her bow in five weeks’ time along with her band.

Lisa told Showbuzz: “This will be our first time performing in Greenock.

“We’ve been over to Scotland a good few times in the last few years and we travel to different areas but this will be the first time in Greenock so I’m really looking forward to it.

“I was born and raised in Glasgow so Scotland certainly has a special place in my heart, albeit I’ve been over here in Ireland for the past seven years now and I love being here because everyone’s so welcoming and friendly and we’ve had a ball.

“But I do always really enjoy going back to Scotland and especially getting the chance to go to Glasgow to see family and friends to show everyone what we’re working so hard for.”

Lisa is hitting the road with her tour #Country which is from her successful top 10 album of the same name.

The name mixes modern and traditional with the hashtag - a nod to social media - and the classic genre of music she adores.

It was her parents who first introduced Lisa, pictured, to country but she admits she wasn’t a fan to begin with.

Lisa said: “They were huge country fans, whether it was American or Irish, and it was always playing in our house or in the car – it just seemed to be on 24/7.

“Don’t get me wrong, growing up in our teenage years, my brother, sister and I would ask them to turn it off, change it or do something but play it 24/7.

“But they never gave in and kept it going and I suppose without that influence growing up things could have been very different today.”

After such a successful career to date at such a young age, Lisa says she won’t rest on her laurels and still has ambitions which drive her on to do even better.

She said: “Over the last few years I’ve been incredibly lucky to receive so many awards and to be given so many incredible opportunities at such an early stage in my career.

“But I suppose there are always those dreams and aspirations that you work hard in order to try and achieve and mine would be a world tour, stadium or arena tours.

“Whether they are possible or not I don’t know but it’s certainly keeping me working hard to try and achieve that.

“This tour is the #Country tour which is my latest album and the title, the hashtag, is very modern, very social media, but the title itself – #Country – reflects the material that’s on the album and it’s the most country release to date.

“The material on there is very much me and I love American country music, I’ve always been a huge fan of it.

“Getting the chance to record something I love and release it and for it to be such a success is certainly a great feeling and I’m really looking forward to getting the chance to perform it live in front of a Scottish audience.

“We’ve had a lot of great feedback online and fingers crossed a lot more people come along and see the show and have a good time with us.”

For tickets to see Lisa live in Greenock, visit www.thealbany.info or call 866100.