Starkidz trio’s choir really has X Factor
THREE employees at a Southport children’s entertainment company will take to the X Factor stage for the live shows after wowing Robbie Williams.
As well as working for Starkidz, Jess Jones, Sinead Ahrend and Charlie Peacock are part of the Liverpool Music Academy Choir and progressed to the live finals after making it through the judges’ houses round.
LMA Choir’s progress started with an audition at the SSE Arena, Wembley, where they were given a standing ovation by all four judges.
The group progressed to the nail-biting Six Chair Challenge where they fought off fierce competition to keep their seat in the Groups category.
The three have been working under Jan Hayes at Starkidz for around a year, and she has resigned herself to losing her prize employees to the clutches of Robbie Williams.
“They auditioned around July time and then kind of kept it a bit hushhush, and then they all said they needed the day off.
“They all had the day off together and we kind of realised where they’d gone, and when they got back they told us that they’d got through.
“So then they went through to the Six Chair Challenge and Robbie absolutely loved them, and then went on to the judges houses.
“They went to Robbie’s house in LA and got through.
“It was done through the college, they’ve organised it all but I’m just so happy that they’ve got as far as they have.
“As happy as I am for them, I’m really stressed that they’re now going to leave, but I don’t mind losing them to Robbie!”
Choir founder Stephanie Wallace Carr said: “It was absolutely hands down the best experience of our lives. I think I can say that for myself and the whole choir. It was unbelievable.
“Robbie’s house is just breath-taking. Getting to meet him, more on a personal level, at his house was just an honour. And being able to perform in such a setting was phenomenal.”
Jan called on the choir’s home town to get behind the group and help their star to soar.
“I’m backing them all the way and I really hope that all our StarKidz customers help us to support them as well.
“There’s never been a choir in the X Factor before, and they spoke about that at judges houses, saying how different it is.”
The choir is made up of founder and LMA creative director Stephanie and 14 young people from courses at the academy.
LMA, on Duke Street and Hope Street in Liverpool city centre, is a specialist college and university centre which offers courses in the creative and performing arts.