Proud day for mum Kym as daughter Emilie wows crowd
CORONATION Street star Kym Marsh beamed with pride as her daughter Emilie Cunliffe performed her debut single at Manchester Pride.
Kym, who started her showbiz career as a singer with talent show band Hear’Say, proudly introduced 18-year-old daughter Emilie to the main stage on Saturday afternoon.
Kym said: “She’s a better singer than I ever was” in front of the thousands of revellers at the annual festival celebrating the city’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities, before Emilie performed new house anthem Dancefloor alongside producer Damon Hess.
Emilie got the crowds dancing along with an energetic performance, while Kym watched, singing along to every word.
Afterwards an emotional Kym said she and her family were in tears watching Emilie confidently perform in front of the huge hometown crowd.
Kym said: “Watching her today, my mum and dad were here, her dad was here, everyone was crying. her dad in particular was sobbing, we’re so very very proud of her today.
“Her single was released yesterday [Friday], and this was the first time she’s had a single released, I think it means so much to as all as this marks a significant part of her life, she’s got a single out, it’s number 12 in the iTunes charts, and she’s just a baby, so for us it means a lot, it feels like a real start for her.”
Emilie said after her Pride performance: “It was incredible, everyone was dancing along, it was amazing.”
The young singer was talent spotted by Damon after she appeared on BBC talent show The Voice.
She said: “He contacted me on Twitter and it went from there. He’d seen me on The Voice and really wanted to work with me after seeing me sing.
“It’s such a catchy dance track you can’t help but dance.”
Kym had earlier taken part in the huge Pride Parade through Manchester city centre with her Coronation Street co-stars, getting into the Once Upon a Time theme by dressing as Rapunzel. She kept her fairytale outfit on to watch Emilie perform - although admitted she ditched her blonde Rapunzel wig as it was so ‘hot and heavy’!
Emilie hailed her mum her ‘inspiration’ for her constant support for her dreams to be a singer.
She said: “I started singing when I was nine, and ever since then mum has always told me I’m so much better than she was. For her to say that, she’s my inspiration, and I just think it is amazing. I sometimes think ‘is she just saying that cos she’s my mum?’.”
But Kym added: “If she was rubbish, I’d tell her! The amount of times you see people on X Factor and it’s really cringey and I always think where are the parents? Why don’t they tell them they’re terrible...”
Speaking frankly, Kym said: “I wish she wasn’t good, I wish she’d do something else because having been in this industry I know hard it is, but why would you waste a talent like hers? She is determined this is all she wants to do.
“She was six years old the first time she sang in front of me, however she’s much better than I was at her age! She has a huge future ahead of her, and I will always do everything I can to support her.”