A SINGER from Stroud will be appearing at a prestigious London venue as she and her band bid to win a recording contract and get to tour the UK.

Nicola Sertari (33) beat off hundreds of other singers and bands in the earlier rounds to reach the South region final of the UK wide Soundwaves Music Competition.

In the showcase at the O2 Academy in Islington, London, on Sunday, March 18, she has just 10 minutes to impress judges from all walks of the music industry.

Nicola from Ramsdean Road will sing songs from her alternative pop/rock set backed by a three-man band, which includes husband Ben.

If she wins this round, the mother of three-year-old Aurelia will go into the national final, with the chance to win a record deal, a UK tour, and help producing her records.

The former Bohunt School pupil, who performs with her band under the stage name Sertari, said: “I am excited to be performing in front of music industry judges, and I think there may also be producers, and management company and record label representatives, there.

“The competition is about giving a break to bands and singers that write and produce their own material, but don’t have a record deal.

“I entered this on the off-chance, and it’s gone really well, and fingers crossed we will reach the final.

“Winning would be fantastic and allow me to really concentrate on song writing and performing.”

Born in the UK to a Cypriot family, she grew up in Petersfield, and discovered a love of singing at school.

And although she has charted in Europe, just released a second EP, ‘Bright Star,’ and sings with three bands, she finds time to perform in Petersfield.

She has sung at the Petersfield festivals, the Petersfield Awards evening, and sung with a choir in the Festival Hall last Thursday (March 10).

Nicola also teaches singing privately, and at Bohunt School.

For more details about Nicola, and buying tickets for the showcase evening, visit her website at: www.sertari.com