Georgie's bid for music stardom

Singer-songwriter Georgie Williams, of Seabourne Road, Pebsham, was shaking as she auditioned in Hove for the Live and Unsigned competition, but said her seven-year-old daughter Teddi steadied her nerves.

She said: "I hadn't done anything for so long, it was like starting all over again.

"It was really cool, because my little girl put me at rest."

Around ten years ago, Georgie featured in a Sky documentary, Rock Fillies, winning a place in a four piece girl band, called 4fit, who were set to tour Britain.

Manufactured pop was never Georgie's style, and she pulled out just before the deal was signed. Georgie said: "I thought the only way to do this is to do my own stuff. I didn't want the next five years of my music career to be in pvc boots."

Illness struck as she wrote her first album. Doctors found an ulcer covering the exit of Georgie's stomach, and despite two bypass operations, she now survives on liquid nutrients. The scariest thing, she says, is she had no idea it was coming: "One night I woke up with pain and phoned my friend. She took me into hospital. I was convinced I was having a heart attack."

But 38-year-old Georgie's fightback against the disability began five months ago, inspired by Teddi and son Danni, 18.

With their encouragement, she auditioned for Britain's biggest competition for original, unsigned musicians, and is now one step closer to winning a recording contract and 30,000 investment on her first single.

Her next performance will be the regional finals on Saturday, April 17 at the Hove Centre, Brighton, and as audience vote carries equal weight as judges scores, Georgie is calling for all the support Bexhill has to give.

She said: "It was more for my children than anything. They haven't seen me with any kind of work ethic for eight years.

"If I can pull myself back up through this, then they can achieve anything they want to achieve. If I can do this, nothing can stop them. I'm just so determined."

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