Grace Gazey recently won the local junior Reach For Your Star competition and she told how she got to be such a great singer.
Report by site user Grace Gazey
For as long as I can remember the one thing I wanted to do in life was to sing. I used to be quite shy and even now my favourite place to sing is in my bedroom. I pretend my room is full of judges from pop idol like Simon Cowell who tell me I am wonderful and what a great star I will be.
Getting onstage
I was about eight years old when I first sang in front of an audience. I was on holiday with my family in Lanzarote and I wanted to sing at a karaoke bar. I was desperate to get up there in front of them all but I was so scared I begged my mum to get up with me and sing. We were great and this went on for some time - going into a karaoke bar, mum being forced to sing the first song with me then off I would go singing the night away on my own! I loved it and the more I sang the better I got.
| |  | Grace performing in the grand final
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Karaoke Queen
In 2002 I entered the local karaoke competition at the Co-op club in Nuneaton, I got through the heats and the final took place 2 days before my eleventh birthday. There were 17 of us altogether and I was one of the youngest. I won! I sang My Heart Will Go On by Celine Deon and a man who also sang told us I had made him cry because he had never heard an 11-year old sing like I had.
Performing on the airwaves
Last October we were in Tenerife and as usual in a karaoke bar. I don't need mum to start me off any more - if there's a stage I will sing. Whilst I was singing a man spoke to my mum and dad and asked how long I had been singing and would I like to do some songs for local radio. When mum asked me I screamed “yes”! I was interviewed and sang two songs and I was on air for 40 minutes. It was brilliant I got to wear the headphones and talk to the dj's, and say hello to all the people I know in Tenerife. I shall never forget it.
 When I went onto the stage my nerves just went and I pretended I was in my bedroom
 | | Grace Gazey
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Junior Reach For Your Star
When we got home I entered the junior Reach For Your Star competition run by the Arbury rotary club. All of the other contestants were singing ballads but I wanted to do something that would ROCK! So I chose Anastacia - she has a wicked voice and mum says she is full of attitude (just like me). I love her songs and just belt them out. My mum says I am a dead ringer for her. After getting through the heats I was first on in the second half of the final at Attleborough Liberal club (30 November 2003) and was really nervous, all of my family were there supporting me.
| |  | Grace was eventually crowned the winner
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Overcoming nerves
When I went onto the stage my nerves just went and I pretended I was in my bedroom. Mum says I blew their socks off because everyone clapped and cheered and I loved it. The judges took their time to make their decision but when they announced who had won I was thrilled and my family went mad!
The future
I now have the chance to sing at the senior Reach For Your Star final at the Bedworth Civic Hall on 31 January. It is apparently going to have famous and influential people there. And as my mum and dad say you never know who's listening, so I shall give it my BEST.
The next big things
Do you have a talent like Grace that you're proud of?
Are you a great stage performer or are you excelling at a sport?
If so we want to hear from you. You can contact us by email or by posting a letter to us at the address above.
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