Thatcham teenager set to sing at regional final

Charlotte Lloyd-Butler, aged 17, has made it through to the regional finals of the Open Mic UK singing competition.
The contest, hosted by Future Music, is the biggest search for unsigned talent in the UK, and travels the country every year in search of singers, singer-songwriters, rappers and vocalists in all genres, performing either covers or original material.
The competition is divided into age categories – under 16, 16-20 and 21 and over, and all types of singers, vocal performers, groups and acoustic singer-songwriters are invited to enter.
The Thatcham teenager said she was delighted to have made it through to the regional finals.
She said: “It will be good to get some publicity and it’s good that people will be hearing my music. It’s great that I have got this far already but it would be better if I could go further.”
Charlotte, an acoustic singer songwriter, described her music as a blend of folk and pop and said she would probably perform one of her original tracks at the regional finals in Reading on October 26.
She added that she wanted to study music at university once she had completed her A-levels at Kennet School; and thanked her friends and family for supporting her.
She said: “They’re all really pleased and have supported me. They’re all coming to watch and think I will get through but I’m a bit nervous. The competition is tough this year, I think.”
If succesful in Reading, Charlotte will have to progress through the area finals before taking a shot at the Grand Final and the main prize of £5,000 to spend on developing her music career.
Events coordinator and head of future music, Chris Grayston, said: “Every year that we hold this competition the bar is raised and the quality gets higher and higher. We’re really looking forward to experiencing the raw talent from across the country.
"For promising singers, song-writers, rappers and vocalists, Open Mic UK provides a real opportunity to open the door to a music career by showcasing their talent to music industry professionals and audiences across the country”
For more information visit www.openmicuk.co.uk, You can purchase tickets from the website, on the door subject to availability, or from Charlotte on charlotte_lloyd-butler@hotmail.co.uk