Real future for singer-songwriter (From Barry And District News)

Real future for singer-songwriter

A BARRY singer-songwriter hit the radio waves last week when she was featured on Real Radio.

Sixteen-year-old Sophie Taylor-Moore celebrated her birthday with an interview with DJ Dave Brooks and had two of her songs played on his Tuesday and Thursday evening shows.

The opportunity to feature on the show came about when her mother Janine secretly sent in the demo tapes after she heard an advert for UK Music Week on Real Radio looking to highlight unsigned talent.

Sophie said: "It was a shock because it was my birthday and I always hoped something like that would happen before I was 16.

"I was so shocked because I didn"t know my mum had sent in the tracks.

"It was a really exciting experience to be interviewed on the radio, and I thought I"d be really nervous - but I was quite natural and when it stopped I wanted to carry one."

Sophie has been playing the piano since she was nine and says that her wide influences include KT Tunstall, Corinne Bailey Rae, Santana and Nat King Cole.

Sophie impressed Real Radio so much that two of her tracks were given airplay last week during DJ Dave Brooks" evening shows on Tuesday and Thursday and she was interviewed on air.

He said: "What struck me was that she"s only just turned 16 but she had a great voice. It was just a solid sounding voice for somebody so young.

"With a bit of professional nurturing and coaching, she could do wonders."

The Ysgol Gyfun Bro Morgannwg pupil now hopes that a career in the music industry beckons, although she is very keen to see her way through nine GCSEs this summer and then A-Levels and hopefully university.