A YOUNG performer from Brent Knoll will sing before one of her musical theatre idols this weekend.

Gracie Wickens-Sweet, aged nine, is one of six talented youngsters to have been picked for the final of the national Star of Stage competition.

Judging the singing skills at the January 18 final in Cardiff on Saturday, will be songstress Connie Fisher, winner of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria.

Her singing coach, Siobhan Johnson, said: “Gracie is an amazing singer who has an outstanding, fantastically mature voice.

“She has a natural ability of lighting up a stage with her incredible talent and presence.

She was definitely born to perform on stage.”

Last year Gracie succeeded in singing her way through to area finals of the TeenStar competition, where judges praised her “incredible talent”, “great song engagement” and “great performance”, foreseeing her future in musicals.

Gracie enters Star of Stage’s final round as the highest-scoring contestant of the six, where she will also be judged by Only Men Aloud’s David Mahoney.

The winner will be given a headline performance slot at the Wales Millennium Centre for Cardiff Music Festival, along with a management deal as well as studio time.