The question was "what exactly has she done [above and beyond any other professional 'folk' performer in her relatively young age group]
to deserve such special meritus recognition ???"

Regarding your completely different question, I'm sure that there are hundreds of people from within the sports and entertainment industries who have been awarded MBEs. It doesn't seem that Eliza's is particularly out of character. Nor does it undermine the awards that go to people for services to their communities or the caring professions. I believe there are many of those each year. My friend won one a few years ago for services to nursing.