Former Sheffield High Storrs School pupil Chiko Nabuzoka is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Pop Idol winners Will Young and Leona Lewis after a successful audition for a national talent contest.
The 20-year-old from Carterknowle beat more than 10,000 hopefuls to be picked to sing for the first time in front of an audience - 2,000 people in Leeds.
If she makes it through that round she will go on to the grand final in London to compete for a lucrative recording contract and the title of UK Idol 2008.
Chiko said: "I really couldn't believe I'd got through. I'd never entered a talent competition in my life before and nerves definitely got the best of me first time round as I was asked to repeat the performance.
"Thankfully it was second time lucky and, to my amazement, they picked me!"
Her success comes as no surprise to her former vocal teacher Jack Lewis from Sheffield's Joy Reynolds School of Drama and Music in Nether Edge.
He said: "I always thought she was a fantastic talent and her success comes as no surprise. She definitely has all the makings of being Sheffield's answer to Aretha Franklin and I truly believe she could be a household name one day."
The contest's judges include former Steps star Lee-Latchford Evans, ex Bucks Fizz star Cheryl Baker and Atomic Kitten singer Liz McClarnon.
Chiko is now juggling her film and creative writing studies at Kingston University in London with working on her live performance.
She said: "I've always loved singing and performing at school and studied expressive arts and A-level theatre studies at High Storrs School."
Her friends and family are planning to make the trip to City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds on Sunday September 21 to watch her bid for a place in the National Grand final in November. Among the prizes on offer is the chance to record and release a single, while the dance winners will go on a UK tour and appear in the video for the vocal winner's single.
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