Edinburgh’s Got Talent: Going the extra miles to realise my dream

Now Nicole Syme is hoping an appearance in the live final of Edinburgh’s Got Talent will help her realise her ambition.

The 19-year-old dedicates her life to performance, and is working to perfect her act in time for the event at the Edinburgh Playhouse at the end of the month.

After leaving school, she found the closest musical theatre course on offer – in Kirkcaldy.

She said: “I travel through to the Adam Smith College every day, which can be tough but it’s all I want to do.”

Rather than rush through an audition process and find herself singing to an audience for the first time, the Mortonhall teenager has taken a more methodical approach. She joined the school choir while at Oxgangs Primary, before moving on to the National Youth Choir.

She said: “That gave me such a wonderful grounding, because it taught me about music and how to read music. I always wanted to adapt that and decided choir singing wasn’t for me.

“I just want to do things the right way. Certainly I want to be singing rather than performing in a theatre, but by doing this at college it will give me a better grounding.”

The former Firrhill High School pupil is unsure of her next move once she completes her HND, and hopes Edinburgh’s Got Talent will give her some indication.

She said: “I’m part of a thing called Rising Stars of Scotland and they have given me some experience. We’ve been to bowling clubs and performed there, only to 50 or so folk, but it’s a great preparation.

“Obviously singing at the Playhouse will be different.

“I’m still deciding what to sing on the night, whether it will be a ballad or something faster, I just have to decide what’s best for the audience and the panel of judges, what they might like best.”

And she is grateful for the support her family has given her. She added: “With me going back and forward to Kirkcaldy every day they’ve been fantastic.

“I’m really lucky on that front. Plus, my siblings are older than me so they’ve always been ready to help.”

Already more than 15,000 votes have been cast in the contest, which aims to find the Capital’s most talented performers.

The line-up for the final has been extended to 11 after two acts remarkably finished on a dead heat.

For more information visit talent.scotsman.com.