A Christmas charity single recorded at a North Wales girls school will go head to head with the big guns of the X Factor in the race for the Christmas Number One spot.
The chart challenger with a difference has been recorded in the state of the art recording studios at Howells School, Denbigh, with a cast of unsigned artists and girls from the school.
The charity single is the idea of music company Inscreen Records and they’ve chosen to use unsigned artists to cut a new version of the song Iridescent by US supergroup Linkin Park to raise money for the communities devastated by the recent inner city riots.
For one young singer it’s the chance to put her own X Factor heartache behind her and go head to head with her best friend in the battle to be the Christmas top of the pops.
Becki Herdman joined the rest of the singers and musicians at Howells for the recording sessions and to film the video that will accompany the single when it is released in early December.
The 24-year-old from Kinmel Bay is best mates with Rhyl’s X Factor star Sami Lee Brookes the whose own vocal talents will be part of the Simon Cowell-masterminded charity single that’s favourite to be the Christmas number one this year.
Becki was all set to go to the X Factor auditions in Liverpool with Sami but had to drop out when she was rushed to hospital with gall bladder problems on the day of the Echo Arena tryouts.
She said: “It was a nightmare. I was supposed to take Sami with me but I was kept in hospital and she couldn’t go but we persuaded her to go to the Manchester auditions and she was picked and I’m absolutely thrilled for her.
“I had only gone to the hospital to try and get some painkillers to get me through but they stuck a drip in me and kept me in for three days.
“But this is another chance for me and it would be great if we can race the X Factor single for the top spot because there’s such a lot of talent out there and particularly in the Rhyl area.”
Robbie Locke, of Howells School, said: “We’re really delighted to be part of this. The recording facilities here at Howells are top class and the school buildings and grounds and their setting make it a fabulous place to film as well.
“It’s also a great opportunity for the girls to get involved and take part and, who knows, they might be able to put chart-topper on their CVs at the end of it.”
Inscreen Music chairman Rob Lloyd, featured on Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire in 2009, said: “This is a hugely exciting project which stems from the recent riots and devastation that hit our city centres. Fifty per cent of the money raised will go to local communities who help keep children off the streets and away from drugs, alcohol abuse and violence.
“We will be producing a full budget video that will be out at the same time and all artists who help will be in this and sing the main chorus together.
“Inscreen Music specialises in unsigned bands and artists and aim to give them their big break in the music business.
“Howells was our choice as it combines a cutting edge recording studio with fantastic faciIities and a stunning setting and we’re glad to be able to involve the girls as well.”
Jo Lloyd, from Halkyn, Chief Executive Officer for Inscreen Music, said: “It’s been a great experience and the studio here at the school is ideal.
“It’s a really good cause and I think the lyrics are very relevant to it.”
Becki, who has a four-year-old son Jacob and works as a karaoke DJ at Aromas in Rhyl, said: “I love the song. It’s a real favourite of mine and Sami is really happy for me that I’m doing this and she’s phoned me up to wish me luck.
“We’re not rivals at all, just really good friends and this has given me a second chance after I missed out on the X Factor.
“It’s brilliant seeing Sami up there on the TV screen. I can’t believe my best friend’s on the telly but she is great and that’s the reason people like her, for the same reasons that she’s my best friend.
“She’s a really genuine person. She’s not some size zero, model type, she’s a big girl with a big voice and lots of personality and she’s an inspiration to everyone.”
