IF you have listened to the radio in the last year or so, there is a fair chance you will have heard Stooshe.

Their Brit-nominated single Black Heart went to number three last June and was a staple on the airwaves for months.

The south east London trio – 21-year-old Courtney Rumbold from Penge and 23-year-olds Karis Anderson, from Brixton, and Alex Buggs, from Maidstone – have complemented their two top ten singles with their album, London with the Lights On, which went to number eight in June.

The reaction to their music has been encouraging, with BBC Sound of 2012, Channel4 Music and MOBO award nominations to go along with their Brit shortlisting.

“It is nice to know that people appreciate the kind of music you make and it is nice to recognised,” said Courtney.

“It’s cool, it’s nice to see people’s reaction.”

The girls were put together in 2010, after two of them were talent spotted in, of all places Top Shop.

Alex said: “We didn’t know each other until two and a half years ago.  I went out shopping in Top Shop and someone asked if I could sing.”

“Karis knew our manager and she called up on New Year’s Eve and was like ‘come and be in this girl band’.”

Former Brit School student Karis added: “We were thrown together.”

As you can imagine, being approached in Top Shop was a strange experience.

Courtney said: “You don’t take them seriously. I was like ‘who are you?’

“Not in a horrible way, but you don’t take it seriously.

“Then you give it a chance and who knew in a couple of years time we’d be performing, opening the main stage with the girls at Hyde Park? It’s cool.”

Stooshe were chosen to open the main stage at Heart in the Park at Hyde Park on Sunday, July 14, where they performed before Jennifer Lopez, Chic featuring Nile Rodgers and Lionel Richie.

I caught up with them as they cooled down after their performance on what was the hottest day of the year.

Courtney said: “It was actually really good. It was amazing to open the stage where some amazing artists will be performing.

“It was hot but it wasn’t as bad on stage.

Alex added: “We were sheltered from it.”

Karis added: “It is amazing to be back in London, we’ve really been looking forward to this gig.

“It was crazy. We feel weird being part of this line-up, we’re very grateful.”

London is clearly important to the young band.

Courtney said: “We are Londoners and with London with the lights on we just wanted to share what we’ve grown up with and experiences we’ve seen and stuff. London means quite a bit to us.”