Female singers in the running for the top award include Britain's Sarah Connolly, JoyceDiDonato, Evelyn Herlitzius, Catherine Naglestad, Nina Stemme, and Beatrice Uria-Monzon.
Tucker went on to build a stellar international career, as have past recipients of the award including soprano Renee Fleming, mezzo JoyceDiDonato and tenor Lawrence Brownlee.
British violinist Nicola Benedetti, who will perform at the ceremony on 2 October, is nominated for female artist against trumpeter and two-time winner Alison Balsom and American mezzo-soprano JoyceDiDonato.