Talented singers reach area finals 

The district will be well represented at the North East area final of the Open Mic UK singing contest after local musicians performed in front of a large crowd in the Newcastle heat.

They head down to Dewsbury Town Hall, in Yorkshire, on Sunday, December 6, with the hope of making it through to the grand final, which, in the past, has been held in the prestigious O2 Arena in London and Birmingham’s NEC.

To make it this far, singers had to pass an initial audition before getting the chance to perform in front of a live audience at the Tyne Theatre in Newcastle.

With the competition split into five age categories, local singers will be hoping to be crowned overall winner from the tens of thousands who entered across the country.

The star prizes up for grabs include £5,000, recording studio time, singing lessons and music development classes.

Here, Sound Check takes a look at the hopefuls flying the flag for Tynedale.

Katie Chomse and Harry Weatherhead (11-16 years)

TWO young singers from Corbridge will be heading down to Yorkshire after both showcased their talent at the Newcastle heat.

Katie (12) and Harry (13) were among the 10 selected from 30 artists in their age category to perform in the area finals at the end of the year.

For Katie, it was her version of I See Fire by Ed Sheeran which got her through the audition stage, with her rendition of Fight Song by Rachel Platten securing her place in the area final.

“I was just totally overwhelmed to be chosen to go through, especially as my name was read out last, so it seemed like I was waiting for ever,” explained the Corbridge Middle School student, who is no stranger to the stage.

She’s appeared in numerous school productions, including Oliver!, and took to the stage with Hexham Amateur Stage Society in their performance of Annie.

“Katie has always loved singing and this is something that she wanted to do, so we’re really pleased she’s got this far,” explained her mum, Karen.

These days, Katie attends regular singing lessons with Mickley-based vocal coach Julie Miles, who offers training through her business, Vocal Ovation.

Harry, who started Hexham’s Queen Elizabeth High School in September, also has fortnightly coaching with Julie.

“The sessions are about how to warm up your voice, increase your range and singing songs that suit your voice,” explained Harry, who played Fagin in Oliver! during his Corbridge Middle School days.

“I like listening to Arctic Monkeys and Red Hot Chili Peppers, but singing on stage by myself was pretty nerve-racking,” he said.

Stole the Show by Kygo got him through the audition stage before his take on Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Under the Bridge saw him storm through.

Harry was the only boy in his age group who earned his passage to the next round.

The judges’ feedback for Katie read: Well done on your first-ever performance! Going forward, you need to work on your image. Nice interaction with the audience, just relax a little! You have lots of potential, however be careful of your timing. Liked the song choice, would like to see you smile a little more.

The judges’ feedback on Harry read: A very confident performance, you used the stage well and really interacted with the audience. You have good, strong vocals, but you struggled with some notes at the top of your range. You need to work on your vocal projection; a good vocal coach will help you with this to make you even better.

Bethannie Westgarth (21 years & over)

SINGING in front of people for the first time, Prudhoe’s Bethannie Westgarth nailed it to send herself sailing into the next round.

The 21-year-old criminology and sociology student at Northumbria University was asked to enter the competition after two months of singing lessons with Wylam-based vocal coach Julie Miles.

With Julie impressed with Bethannie’s range, the former Prudhoe High School pupil performed Ed Sheeran’s hit Photograph and was given the thumbs up by the judges.

Bethannie said: “I have done performing arts all my life and always wanted to sing, so my mam got me some lessons and told me to sign up for the competition.

“I only had a couple of months of lessons before the contest, and it was really scary, because it is the first time I have done anything like that before.

“It was daunting, as they put everybody on the stage together and told you who was through, and it was an unbelievable feeling when they said I was through; I nearly burst into tears.

“It’s going to be harder to get through the next round, so it’s quite scary, but I’m looking forward to it because it might be something I never get to do again.”

The judges’ feedback read: A nice vocal tone accompanied by a good image. You have beautiful, gentle vocals, but it would be good to hear a more vocally-challenging song from you next time. You really used the stage well, it was a good performance.

Amy Ridley (16-20 years)

THE area finals will be a return trip for Humshaugh’s Amy Ridley, who reached this stage in the competition in Huddersfield last year.

The 16-year-old has made quite a name for herself locally, and is looking to develop further as she studies music performance at Newcastle College.

She impressed North-East judges with her take on Walk the Moon’s Shut Up and Dance, making the song her own by adapting it to her sound.

A former pupil at Queen Elizabeth High School, she is hoping she can continue her progress in the competition.

She said: “I thought I’d take a well-known, catchy song to get the audience dancing and joining in.

“The feedback from the judges was probably the best I have ever had throughout this competition, and I will go to the area finals with more confidence after going down last year.

“I want to take things as far as I can in music, and these types of competition are a great experience and a big confidence boost.”

The judges’ feedback read: A great voice accompanied by a great style and confidence. Really enjoyed the arrangement of the song, very different from the original. It was a well-delivered, professional performance.