‘I hope I can make everyone proud on Saturday night’

Speaking to the Mid-Ulster Mail from London, the 17 year-old described how she has spent the week ‘singing all day’ and preparing to make everyone proud back home.

The St Pius X College student was put through to the programme’s live shows after beating fellow Will.i.am team member J Marie Cooper in the battle sing-off stages last week.

Mentor Will.i.am, who had previously picked both singers to be on his team, put the girls head-to-head on Saturday night and was forced to pick just one to take through to the next stage of the competition.

The talented teen won hands down and superstar recording artist Will.i.am, who is also her coach, described how he could see a glimmer of his 17 year-old self in the Loughshore singer.

“It felt amazing for Will to say that, I really do relate to his story, He said he was 17 year-old dreamer once, and got really emotional!”

“I hope my performance on Saturday night will prove to the public, and to Will why he put me through. I just want to give a really powerful performance and make everyone proud back home,” she said.

“The support I have already received from people has been amazing. Some of the best tweets so far have been the ones which say I am doing Northern Ireland proud. That means so much and I hope that I am.”

Sophie is now the only Northern Ireland hopeful in the competition after Derry’s Ben Kelly and Jessica Hammond were knocked out of the show’s battle stages on Saturday night.

She is part of the ‘Top 20’ who have made it through after coaches Jessie J, Will.i.am, Sir Tom Jones and Danny O’Donoghue whittled their 40 acts down to just 20 in a series of sing offs. Contestants including Francesca Wood and Tyler James, who have become close to the 17 year-old over the course of the show, are now preparing to vy for the public’s votes in the new singing competition.

“I am so close to all the contestants, everyone is just so lovely,” added Sophie.

“I’ve got a great friendship with Frances Wood and Tyler James as well, but everyone in the Top 20 is just a really close bunch.

“Yesterday we were all in the studios and a few of us had our guitars there and we literally spent the whole day singing. It was just the best thing ever to be surrounded by people that love music like I do.”

“I have been singing my whole life, it sounds corny, but music is my life. I’ve always wanted to do this and now that I have an opportunity like this I am not going to let it slip through my fingers.”

“I just hope that on Saturday night I can make everyone proud and if they could please pick up the phone and keep me in the competition that would be amazing.”