Laura’s next stop is singing on X-Factor

Jun 19 2009 by Andrew Welsh, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A HOTEL worker from Kinross is aiming for a place on national TV after emerging as Scotland’s latest singing sensation.

Laura White (26), who works as a receptionist in the Windlestrae Hotel, went one better than Britain’s Got Talent runner-up Susan Boyle by taking top honours in a keenly-contested star search in front of a capacity audience packed into a major Fife nightspot.

Beating off stiff competition from more than 80 other contenders, Laura also claimed a cash prize of £2000.

Her renditions of Heart classic Alone and the Dolly Parton-penned I Will Always Love You went down a treat with judges, but she revealed she came close to missing out on glory after suffering from the effects of a cold on the day of the grand final.

“I’ve just done TV’s X Factor and have got through all the preliminary stages,” Laura revealed yesterday.

“Hopefully the next thing will be to sing in front of Simon Cowell and the others.

“It’s scary and exciting!”

However, the victory was not the first time Laura, who has been singing since the age of three, has scored talent contest success.

“I’ve won a couple of local competitions but this is my biggest win,” she beamed.

“I just went for it and was over the moon to win. I’m not sure yet what I’ll do with the money, I’ve been thinking about university but who knows.”

Congratulating Laura on her achievement, Sean Cairnduff of Dunfermline-based competition organisers Harlem described her as “a fantastic singer with a big future”.

“This was our first X Factor contest and it was a huge success,” he told the PA.

“We had over 500 people in on the finals night, which is unprecedented. We had eight great finalists, the crowd voted for the sing-off, and the judges selected Laura, a worthy winner.”