The Chronicle

Dreams come true for big Kate fan

- TOBI LOFTUS Tobi.Loftus@thechronic­le.com.au

A TOOWOOMBA Kate Miller-Heidke fan reached Zero

Gravity on Friday night when she was given the opportunit­y to perform with the Eurovision alumni.

Centenary Heights State High School year 8 student Hayley Lutvey earlier this year decided to perform a Kate Miller-Heidke song at her school’s talent show, a story which found its way to Kate Miller-Heidke’s Instagram inbox.

“I came second singing the song Sarah by Kate,” the 13year-old said. “The song was about this girl who went missing, a friend of Kate’s friend.

“It was a really interestin­g song with a really sad back story.”

Hayley comes from a family of Kate Miller-Heidke fans and said her mum Naomi had constantly played Kate’s songs to her and her siblings growing up.

“My mum’s friend Duane, who went to Tel Aviv to watch Kate live at Eurovision, DMed her on Instagram telling her about the talent show,” Hayley said. “He asked if I could come up and sing with her, but I knew nothing about it.

“She announced my name on stage and then invited me up on to stage to sing with her. I was like what. It was so surreal, I thought it was a dream.”

Hayley sung the first verse and the chorus of the song, with Miller-Heidke on piano, to huge applause from the 1600 people in the sold out QPAC Concert Hall.

“It was crazy,” she said. “I never thought anything like this would happen.”

Miller-Heidke’s husband Keir Nuttall also played guitar while Hayley sung. Nuttall grew up in Toowoomba and his parents still live in the city.

Miller-Heidke, known for her hits The Last Day on Earth and Caught in the Crowd, represente­d Australia at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv where she placed ninth with her song Zero Gravity.

“She’s just amazing,” Hayley said. “I don’t know how she does it.” Watch Hayley’s stunning performanc­e with Kate MillerHeid­ke at thechronic­le.com.au.

 ?? Photo: Contribute­d ?? HUGE MOMENT: 13-year-old Toowoomba singer Hayley Lutvey performed on stage with Kate Miller-Heidke (left) and her backup singer Jess Hitchcock (centre) at QPAC on Friday night.
Photo: Contribute­d HUGE MOMENT: 13-year-old Toowoomba singer Hayley Lutvey performed on stage with Kate Miller-Heidke (left) and her backup singer Jess Hitchcock (centre) at QPAC on Friday night.
 ?? Photo: Contribute­d ?? Kate Miller-Heidke hugs Hayley Lutvey following her performanc­e of Sarah.
Photo: Contribute­d Kate Miller-Heidke hugs Hayley Lutvey following her performanc­e of Sarah.

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