Final date for singing talent

A SINGER-SONGWRITER from Burscough is in the final of a national talent competition.

Francesca Fairclough, known as Francesca Louise on stage, took the main stage at O2 Academy, in Islington, London as part of the semi-final of Soundwave Music Competition UK.

The folk-pop artist beat hundreds of acts to get to the final of the search to discover the “next big thing”.

The intial auditions took place on September 2017, with the final held in Birmingham in May.

The eight participants in the final will battle to win a full UK tour and the potential to be signed by management and recording companies.

Previous winner Sam Lavery, also appeared on The X Factor.

Francesca said: “I didn’t expect to win the [semi-final], I just went out there and had a great time with my band on a UK main stage. The final result was a bonus!

“The support I got from family and friends was overwhelming, as well as from the rest of the audience. My dedicated family came down to watch and brought banners.”

Francesca’s dream of being an artist began as a young girl, and from the age of 15 she has been gigging as a solo artist.

Music also runs in her family.

Her debut EP, Francesca Louise, is available to hear on apps such as Spotify and iTunes and she is now working on her next single.