We were fans of Diana throughout the 2008 X Factor run so it was something of a relief when, after all that, 'Once' turned out to be the sort of song you can point at and go "THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is not only a very good pop song but a very good song regardless of genre", which is in itself just as well because while it's obviously a big pop song 'Once' is more than just pop - a debut single that sounds odd and instantly familiar, fragile and bold at the same time.
As a Cathy Dennis composition it shares a certain something in the quality stakes with some of her other tunes without really sounding like any of them, and it's the opening shot in an album campaign that'll throw up further interesting surprises as it unfolds throughout 2010.
