 | | Lizzie Massey in the studio |
"I first started writing songs when I was about 11 and got my first electric guitar on my 12th birthday." A rather astonishing quote from a young girl of only 14. It's clear though that Lizzie Massey, from Slough, is a very driven young lady. Her career took off when local record producer Les Payne visited her school, Herschel Grammar, and heard her songs. He suggested Lizzie record them in a proper studio. __________________________________ __________________________________ Since then Lizzie won the 13-19 category of an national unsigned music competition held at Hackney Empire in London, she's the youngest performer to star in Brian Conley's BBC 2 show Let Me Entertain You, she's won £2,500's worth of musical equipment for her school and, to top it all off, she reached the final of the 2005 Junior Eurovision Song Contest, which was watched by two million people at home. "I was only just 13 when I went on Junior Eurovision Finals, and it was the first time I had ever performed on TV before," Lizzie remembers.  | | Lizzie at Junior Eurovision in 2005 |
"I had to go to an audition in London then got a phone call telling me I was one of the seven people in the UK who had been chosen for the finals. "I had to go and record my song with a record producer who lived in Bognor Regis. We filmed at Granada studios in Manchester and I saw lots of the Coronation Street actors!" Though despite the glare of the lights, an audience, and the awareness that she had to perform live for two million people, Lizzie kept her head. | "I was only just 13 when I went on Junior Eurovision Finals, and it was the first time I had ever performed on TV before." | | Lizzie Massey |
"I wasn't too nervous as I just didn't know what to expect." And the young achiever, who will turn 15 in June has set her sights on even greater things. "I have lots of goals I still want to achieve. My dream is to have a career in music and after my GCSEs I hope to go to music college." She cites singer and BRIT award winner KT Tunstall as a main driving force. "She had been working all her life in the music industry, performing in pubs and clubs until she finally made it...at the tender age of 30!" Perhaps KT didn't have the support of her family that Lizzie has, something that the young star values greatly. __________________________________ __________________________________ "My mum is great! I'm such a chaotic person...so I leave the organising side to her. My dad taught me the guitar and he is my soundman and roadie! My mum, dad and younger brother always come to my gigs and support me." So with the avid song-writer ("some songs seem to appear out of nowhere") launching her career in Berkshire - Windsor Arts Centre is a popular haunt, as well as beyond the county lines, it will be hard not to take note of the rising star. Her album might be titled Teenage Mind, but it's safe to say that she's achieved more now than any adult ever could. | 
