Bat For Lashes star Natasha Khan has defended her controversial nude photograph on the cover of her latest album, insisting the image was intended to be "natural and non-sexual."

The singer/songwriter stripped off and posed with a naked man slung over her shoulders in the artwork for The Haunted Man, taken by New York photographer Ryan McGinley.

Khan admits the idea for the shoot came to her in a "really strong epiphany" and insists the black-and-white snap matches the mood of her new "stripped back" sound.

She tells the BBC, "I love (McGinley) as a photographer and I've been into him...

In the interest of keeping our readers' fingers on the pulse of the latest British wave, Starpulse gives you the 411 on the newest batch of hot songwriters from across the pond.

Joss Stone's early 2007 release, Introducing Joss Stone, was the highest debut for a female act from the United Kingdom. And with Amy Winehouse racking up Grammy nominations and tabloid coverage that out-Britneys even Britney, the newest incarnation of the British Invasion looks a heck out a lot different than the Beatles or even Oasis a mere 10 years ago.

Jamie T

The Skinny: In his cockney Brit accent, ...

Reformed boy band Take That and singers Leona Lewis and Mika have each scooped four Brit Awards nominations in London. All three artists will go head-to-head in the Best British Album and Best British Single categories.

Take That also scooped nominations for Best British Group and Best Live Act and Lewis faces stiff competition from newcomer Kate Nash, K.T. Tunstall, PJ Harvey and Bat For Lashes in the Best British Female category.

She is also up for Best British Breakthrough opposite Mika, who is also shortlisted for Best British Male Artist and Best Single for his hit Grace Kel...