Music Means Life: Karen hits right note with judges

Apr 28 2008 by Jule Wilson, The Journal

THE first-ever winner of the North East’s huge new X-Factor-style music contest has told The Journal that her dreams have come true.

Karen Harding, 16, wowed the celebrity judges of Music Means Life at its grand final at Rainton Meadows Arena in Durham, singing Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You and I’m Telling You I’m Not Going by Jennifer Holliday, from the Dreamgirls soundtrack.

She walked away with a trophy, a 12-month management deal and a week-long recording session in a professional studio with Kitchenware Records.

The teenager battled it out against 3,000 entrants for a place as one of 24 semi-finalists before performing among the first 10 finalists of the competition, all of whom have helped raise thousands for the event’s chosen charity this year, The Teenage Cancer Trust North East.

Karen, of Derby Drive, Moorside, Consett, County Durham, said: “I can’t believe I can now say that I have a manager, and mine, Gary Thompson, who organised the competition, has already been a massive support.

“It still hasn’t sunk in that I actually won but this is really what I have always wanted to do. I’ve wanted this since I was about seven years old and am just so overwhelmed that’s it’s actually happening.

“The fact the event was for this particular charity also made the performances at all of the semi-finals and the grand final even more special, and showed how teenagers can be a real support to one another by coming together for such a great cause.”

Karen, who is currently completing her GCSEs at Moorside Community College, aims to keep her feet on the ground, despite the attention, and plans to go on to Sixth Form.

She said: “I sent off my entry tape of myself singing Natural Woman by Aretha Franklin and thought nothing more about it.

“I knew the competition would be fierce so I really didn’t expect to get through, and then about two weeks later I got a call saying I’d been selected as a semi-finalist and all of a sudden it was a bit of a whirlwind.”

Along with the other 23 semi-finalists, Karen was thrust into the limelight at the official launch of the contest at St James’s Park last month.

The contest is now to be annual event raising vital funds for a different charity each year.

Karen is no stranger to publicity, having already been named Miss Philippines International UK last November.

She said: “My mum Nita is Filipino and it’s been a great honour to carry the title. I can’t believe my luck to have been so successful in this competition as well but I’ve had so much support and I couldn’t have done it without my family and my boyfriend and friends.”

Nita, and Karen’s dad Roger, along with her 18-year-old brother Philip, have nurtured the songstress’ ambition since she was a child. Karen’s boyfriend Nathan Rees, 20, has also encouraged her in her ambitions.

Karen went on: “Everyone is so happy for me and now we have a number of things in the pipeline including working with Alan Clark of Dire Straits who was one of the contest judges. I’m extremely excited but I’m going to be careful not to let everything go to my head.”

Gary Thompson, Karen’s new manager, of VIP Needs, based at Newcastle’s Quayside, added: “I’m really looking forward to working with Karen and getting into the studio.

“She is an awesome talent.”

:: For more information about the Music Means Life initiative, visit www.musicmeanslife.com.