Westergate's Alice Galloway is just a step away from glory in a major live music competition.

Thousands of hopefuls have been whittled down over regional semis and finals to leave just one night's worth of talent in the national final of this year's Live and Unsigned contest in Croydon on June 28.

Nineteen-year-old Alice will be competing against the best from the rest of the nation having won through from the Portsmouth regional final.

She's delighted at her success so far, way beyond her dreams.

"I went into it last year as well, and I go to the semi regional final and went home from there. This year I really put my mind to it because this is what I wanted to do.

"And I have got much more confident in myself because I have got a lot of support as well, especially from my work.

"I think I am more comfortable with my own music and writing my own music and performing. I am just at a place where I am happy to do my own thing."

For the national final she will be singing her own song Playground which she did in the semi regional: "All my songs are acoustic. It's just a guitar and vocals. It's acoustic but it's like a mix between Eva Cassidy and Duffy, like old and new."

As for her chances, there are things in her favour and against, she reckons.

"In some ways I feel at a bit of a disadvantage in that I do lack experience. We all had to write a biography. Mine was just thanking people for their support and saying that I have got as far as I ever thought I would. A lot of the other people have toured the UK and supported big bands.

"But in a way that might be an advantage. Live And Unsigned is all about people that have not had that chance to do things like that. I just know that if I get the push into the industry that I need, I can do it.

"But it is not about the winning. It has given me great experience. If I won, I would be absolutely stunned, but it would just be an added bonus. To get to perform in front of a thousand people is just great. If I don't win, I won't feel that I am disappointing anyone."

Live and Unsigned is a national music competition for unsigned bands and singers to compete live. It had more than 10,000 registrations in 2007.

The competition has winners in categories of best individual female, male and best Live & Unsigned band.

The overall adult winner/s of the competition get a recording and management contract with Future Music with an investment of up to £20,000 in their careers.

All winners will all be invited on the UK Live and Unsigned Tour. The tour involves as many as 100 gigs across the UK including the chance to perform live at some well-known festivals.

/blob/ Live and Unsigned is a national music competition for unsigned bands and singers to compete live. It had more than 10,000 registrations in 2007.

The competition has winners in categories of best individual female, male and best Live & Unsigned band.

The overall adult winner/s of the competition get a recording and management contract with Future Music with an investment of up to £20,000 in their careers.

All winners will all be invited on the UK Live and Unsigned Tour. The tour involves as many as 100 gigs across the UK including the chance to perform live at some well-known festivals. The overall final will be in Croydon on June 28.


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