United Kingdom

There are few singers able to transcend beyond the TV show that made their name. But for Jade Ewen the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest will be the springboard for her success. Regardless of whether she wins in Moscow this May, Jade's incredible talent ensures her a fantastic future in the music industry.

As Ewen, 21, so effortlessly proved during those four weeks of Eurovision: Your Country Needs You, she is one of the finest vocalists the UK has produced in years. Jade has the technical prowess of Whitney and Mariah, the classical timelessness of Diana Ross and the eternal cool of Donna Summer. Combining an outstanding vocal performance with cutting-edge choreography Jade embodies the current mood in music - credible cool with a mainstream twist. Smart, stylish and extraordinarily gifted, the determined Ewen has the talent, the tenacity and the team behind her to become one of 2009's most successful singers.

Born and raised in Plaistow, East London to a Jamaican mother and British/ Sicilian father, Jade had a challenging childhood. Her dad is blind and her mum suffers from Myasthenia Gravis, leaving her partially bind and deaf. Yet being the primary carer to her parents and two younger siblings has given Jade a pragmatic, ambitious outlook on life. Since a 3 year-old singing in her grandma's garden, Jade has systematically set her sights on turning her musical dreams into reality. "My parent's disabilities have given me a lot of drive, because my mum always said she didn't want to see us struggling like her," says Jade. "Both of my parents are fighters, and they've instilled that fight in me. Seeing what they've overcome has helped me to see that nothing in life can hold me back."

With both parents unable to work and existing on disability benefits, money was far from flowing in the Ewen household. Approached by a drama school who recognised her potential, Jade practiced and rehearsed relentlessly in order to win one of the precious few scholarships on offer. As a teenage attendee of Sylvia Young Theatre School, she appeared in The Bill, Casualty and Mr. Harvey Lights A Candle, before perfecting her onstage skills in The Lion King. A gifted singer and dancer, Jade had a brief spell in the girl group Trinity Stone, before going solo. Despite being unsigned at the time, acclaimed producer Kwame (Missy/ Mary J. Blige), was so impressed with the music he heard on Jade's MySpace, he invited her to record with him in New York. "It was an amazing experience to work with someone who has created so many of my favourite tracks," she recalls.

Jade Ewen

A few months later, and Jade was approached about Eurovision. Initially unsure of what to expect, all doubts were cast aside when she learnt that Andrew Lloyd Webber and Diane Warren were involved. Over the four weeks, which saw her perform show-stopping live renditions of Beyoncé and Christina Aguilera, Jade won the support of millions. Her dazzling performance of Warren and Lloyd Webber's It's My Time in the final week saw Jade storm the voting polls to be crowned as Great Britain's representative in Moscow this May. "It was too good an opportunity to pass up," notes Jade of the Eurovision experience. "It's a privilege to be representing the UK, and with over 100million people watching, what better way to kick-start my career."

While the Eurovision is her immediate focus, there's a solo career to also consider. Performing It's My Time in Moscow alongside Lloyd Webber is just the first note in Jade's musical lifeline. "I see Eurovision as the beginning of the rest of my professional life," decides Jade. "You're seeing the start of a 20, 30 year career."

As the song goes, now is Jade's Time and she's not letting go of it. Today, Eurovision. Tomorrow, the rest of the world...