TWO albums, national tours and a show at the Royal Albert Hall.

At just 21, Jenna seems a little young to have achieved all she has. But then that’s what happens when you get ‘discovered’ by one of the biggest names in modern folk.

The husky-voiced Devon singer-songwriter was happy playing for friends and entertaining at local parties until she caught the attention of Steve Knightley – songwriter with award-winning folk duo Show of Hands.

Enchanted by her smoky vocals the Exeter troubadour acted as mentor and producer for his acoustic acolyte, producing her acclaimed albums and inviting her to join him on tour.

“I’ve been really lucky,” she admits, talking to The Guide from Devon. “It is mad, though Steve’s help has made it possible to turn a dream into reality.”

Her lucky break continues with a tour, alongside Steve, which next month takes in The Mill in Banbury and Nettlebed Folk Club.

Her meeting with Steve was a fortuitous, though suitably circuitous one, she explains “I’d been writing my own songs for a while at school, and, when I was 14, I was playing at a party at which Steve’s mum was there.

“I was singing the Devon song Widecombe Fair. She liked what she heard and asked him to come round and see me. Since then he’s been helping me out. And because I only knew the piano before, he also taught me how to play the guitar.”

Before she knew it, she was earning comparisons to the likes of Joni Mitchell and Sandy Denny, released an eyebrow-raising debut album, Barefoot and Eager (listed by the Financial Times as one of the Top 10 world albums of 2007), and was on stage in front of a packed house at the Royal Albert Hall. It was daunting for an 18-year-old.

“It was amazing. Although I’m not the sort of person to get emotional, when I got up on stage I teared-up. It went really well though, and when I finished I was so excited I skipped off the stage. I thought I was out of view, but people could still see me in the spotlight. For ages people were asking whether I’d tripped off the stage!”

“It was my mum who said ‘you must hear this girl sing’,” says Steve, who has released 17 albums with Show of Hands, worked alongside Mick Jagger, picked up a Best Live Act award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and taught guitar to PJ Harvey.

“I was seriously impressed by her voice and songwriting ability – and she was only 14 at the time. Since then she has progressed in leaps and bounds and is a real emerging talent.”

Like him, and fellow Devonian Seth Lakeman, Jenna is deeply rooted in her native West Country.

“I grew up in Woolacombe as did my family, so the sea has had a massive impact on my life,” she explains.

“The area has got a big surfing culture and my first album was very beachy, summery and chilled out. This second one, however, is much deeper. Since the last album I’ve grown up a bit more which has helped me write songs with more depth, covering bigger issues.

“When you’re a teenager you don’t worry about that much – you just think about school, going home and hanging out on the beach. But as you grow up you lose people and have to deal with good and bad things – life, love and loss.

“Now I’m really looking forward to going on tour,” she goes on. “And I’ll get to do lots of material from the new album.”

The self-penned 12 track acoustic LP Brother has already been widely acclaimed for its maturity, its haunting acappella closing track earning special attention.

“These are songs I’ve written over three years so they’re not exactly new, but it’s great to have them out there.”

She admits her stagecraft is a bit, well, unpolished. But then that’s part of her charm. “I do have a habit of saying stupid things on stage,” she cringes. “I seem to have no control over what comes out of my mouth. I just start yapping about anything.

“That’s probably my worst quality – talking nonsense. That and falling asleep rather inelegantly while travelling around on tour!”

Jenna plays The Mill in Banbury on February 17 (01295 279002) and the Nettlebed Village Club, near Wallingford, on February 22 (01628 636620).

Album Brother is out now on the Hands on Music label.