Six year old Connie Talbot, the "next Charlotte Church"
She's never had a formal singing lesson. Instead, she has had to hone her skills on a £39.99 karaoke machine.
But Connie Talbot, the six-year-old star of ITV1's Britain's Got Talent, is already being hailed as the "next Charlotte Church".
And after wowing both the audience and the judges - in particular Simon Cowell - she is now tipped to earn more than £1million over the coming year.
Indeed, so impressed was the 47-year-old pop mogul by Connie's performance, that he has preliminarily agreed to sign her up to a seven-figure deal with his own record label, Sony BMG.
Despite the avalanche of attention, she is keeping her feet firmly on the ground.
Indeed, after progressing to the third of the live semi-finals, Connie declined a celebratory restaurant dinner in favour of a chip supper at their three-bedroom home in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, alongside her parents, Sharon and Gavin, and 14-year-old brother Josh and sister, Mollie, 12.
She even refused to tell anyone at school about her show- stealing performance - the first her teachers knew of Connie's television debut was when they watched the programme for themselves.
While Connie is desperate to take Cowell up on his offer, her 38-year-old mother, a part-time utility worker, is rather less enthusiastic.
"I'm a big worrier," she said. "I just want my Connie to stay the way she is. I never wanted all this for her - I never took her to dance lessons or singing lessons.
"But I wouldn't be able to turn down a record deal with Simon because Connie would just be like, 'Yes!, Yes!' She'd feel like Leona Lewis from the X Factor who, along with Joss Stone, is her absolute idol."
Mrs Talbot, who bought her daughter a karaoke machine because the family could not afford singing lessons, also revealed that Connie only discovered she could sing in tragic circumstances - when her grandmother, Violet, was diagnosed with breast cancer.
"When her grandma was really ill in bed, Connie used to sing the DVD to the Wizard of Oz to her, to cheer her up.
"It was her grandmother who first told me, 'She's really good, you know'"
Following her grandmother's death two years ago, at the age of 72, Connie sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow at the funeral.
"Her grandmother would have been so proud," Mrs Talbot added. "She had her fortune told years ago and was told her she was going to have a famous grandchild - maybe that's Connie."
On Monday night, seven million viewers saw
her sing Somewhere Over The Rainbow at the reality show's Birmingham auditions.
She received a standing ovation and left the programme's three judges, Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan, speechless.
On Saturday night, viewers and the trio of panellists will vote to decide if Connie makes it through to the following evening's studio final for the chance to sing in front of the Queen at the Royal Variety Show and win £100,000.
"This girl is just special," Cowell told the Mail last night. "I have never felt such a powerful silence in my life as when Connie sang. It was pure magic.
"She's all over the world at the moment, this girl - she's the number one clip on YouTube, for instance - and that's a worldwide number one.
"She's got a wonderful opportunity here and I'll make a prediction that Connie will sell more records than Joss Stone this year.
"Of course a record deal with a Sony BMG is on the cards - but only if Connie wants it.
"We can't go rushing into anything. I will initially talk to her and then I'll have a word with her mum and see what she wants.
"She could easily make a million quid-plus this year, but of course none of this is guaranteed until the competition is over.
"I think a comparison with Charlotte Church is interesting - she's certainly got a shot."
Last night, Connie said: "I am really excited. Simon is my hero."
But Connie Talbot, the six-year-old star of ITV1's Britain's Got Talent, is already being hailed as the "next Charlotte Church".
And after wowing both the audience and the judges - in particular Simon Cowell - she is now tipped to earn more than £1million over the coming year.
Indeed, so impressed was the 47-year-old pop mogul by Connie's performance, that he has preliminarily agreed to sign her up to a seven-figure deal with his own record label, Sony BMG.
Despite the avalanche of attention, she is keeping her feet firmly on the ground.
Indeed, after progressing to the third of the live semi-finals, Connie declined a celebratory restaurant dinner in favour of a chip supper at their three-bedroom home in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, alongside her parents, Sharon and Gavin, and 14-year-old brother Josh and sister, Mollie, 12.
She even refused to tell anyone at school about her show- stealing performance - the first her teachers knew of Connie's television debut was when they watched the programme for themselves.
While Connie is desperate to take Cowell up on his offer, her 38-year-old mother, a part-time utility worker, is rather less enthusiastic.
"I'm a big worrier," she said. "I just want my Connie to stay the way she is. I never wanted all this for her - I never took her to dance lessons or singing lessons.
"But I wouldn't be able to turn down a record deal with Simon because Connie would just be like, 'Yes!, Yes!' She'd feel like Leona Lewis from the X Factor who, along with Joss Stone, is her absolute idol."
Mrs Talbot, who bought her daughter a karaoke machine because the family could not afford singing lessons, also revealed that Connie only discovered she could sing in tragic circumstances - when her grandmother, Violet, was diagnosed with breast cancer.
"When her grandma was really ill in bed, Connie used to sing the DVD to the Wizard of Oz to her, to cheer her up.
"It was her grandmother who first told me, 'She's really good, you know'"
Following her grandmother's death two years ago, at the age of 72, Connie sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow at the funeral.
"Her grandmother would have been so proud," Mrs Talbot added. "She had her fortune told years ago and was told her she was going to have a famous grandchild - maybe that's Connie."
On Monday night, seven million viewers saw
her sing Somewhere Over The Rainbow at the reality show's Birmingham auditions.
She received a standing ovation and left the programme's three judges, Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan, speechless.
On Saturday night, viewers and the trio of panellists will vote to decide if Connie makes it through to the following evening's studio final for the chance to sing in front of the Queen at the Royal Variety Show and win £100,000.
"This girl is just special," Cowell told the Mail last night. "I have never felt such a powerful silence in my life as when Connie sang. It was pure magic.
"She's all over the world at the moment, this girl - she's the number one clip on YouTube, for instance - and that's a worldwide number one.
"She's got a wonderful opportunity here and I'll make a prediction that Connie will sell more records than Joss Stone this year.
"Of course a record deal with a Sony BMG is on the cards - but only if Connie wants it.
"We can't go rushing into anything. I will initially talk to her and then I'll have a word with her mum and see what she wants.
"She could easily make a million quid-plus this year, but of course none of this is guaranteed until the competition is over.
"I think a comparison with Charlotte Church is interesting - she's certainly got a shot."
Last night, Connie said: "I am really excited. Simon is my hero."
Labels: Britain's Got Talent, Connie Talbot, next Charlotte Church
