EARLY STAGES

My dad was brought up in the popular city of Liverpool. He was down touring in South Africa with his band Dutch Elm where he met my mother, who was brought up in this amazing country. The rest is history really apart from the fact that they came back to Liverpool together and had me. I would have to say my parents, who are two very different people brought me up in the best way they physically could, whether together or apart. I grew up with my older sister Tanja who I am very close with and is 4 years my senior.

EDUCATION AND ACHIEVEMENTS

They really stressed the importance of education to me helping me strive to pass the entrance exam to Merchant Taylor’s girls school one of the top in the country. They could not afford the term fees that the school charged, but thankfully I won a scholarship to allow me to go there on my attainments, which was amazing. At the time I took the exam I was heavily involved in

Gymnastics, competing at National Level, which I soon had to give up due to the work amount the school gave us. I was disappointed but knew that I was too far behind with my skills to be able to aim World class. I have always had that attitude that if I cannot push myself to the higher levels of anything I do then I should look at doing something I can succeed in.

Despite each year me not being able settle in and feeling a lot lower class than the other girls who attended I managed to work hard and achieve 9 straight A*s GCSE and 5 A-Levels. I was overjoyed, mainly because one of the last requests my granddad asked of me, was to do as well as I could at school, and I did.

Although I knew education was important I had a passion for performing, so in my free time I would put myself for all kinds of auditions. I made my first ever T.V appearance on the well-known programme Fun House, which still to this day get asked if I had a go in the Go karts..Yes I did! I made various appearances on Hollyoaks, Grange Hill etc which I loved for the experience it gave me in front of a camera.

Following school I studied 2 years at John Moore’s University, doing a BA Hons in Business Studies. I got a 2:1 which was great.

My final year was to do a placement but following near successes in various singing competitions I knew there was something there that I felt I had o pursue. So being miss determined Nicole, I seen some potential working in Karen Millen with girls who had similar backgrounds to myself and thought we could be on to something.

We started to hang out and sing, which I love and my dad helped me with getting me professional operatic training. I felt quite embarrassed as it wasn’t the music I was in to, but I knew it would help with my music career in the future. It also helped me become more creative, helping with my writing.

To cut a long, long long story short, our after work meetings soon became a reality and the band, which is very much a a part of making me the thicker skinned person I am today.

I-Candi were established for 4 years, which I can only describe as a roller-coaster with just as many highs as lows! We had members come and go with myself and Francine (my very close friend) being there from day one. We worked very closely with LOGIC Productions, with Gerard Flemming and Lloyd who co-produced OMDs platinum record. We did everything that a band on their way to success does i.e. the parties, the networking, the gigs, the supporting of big names including Lee Ryan and so on……..and it was all amazing……..but we obviously weren’t meant to blast the U.K.

Although we did kind of crack America as such, with our first track ‘All Fired Up’ managing to reach no. 1 in the Dance charts! And one of my own tracks I wrote ‘Summer of Lovin’ being released on to Ministry of Sounds Big Tunes 2 album. Since the bands split in 2007 I went in to depression for a good few months. I felt I had put my heart and soul in to the band, as well as working 2 and 3 jobs at a time to support myself and my music, and I felt ‘what is the point’.

It was then I started applying for various things I had an interest in that would up my profile, and get the work coming in which I truelly loved to do. That’s when I received an email from a T.V company about a show a fellow Liverpool girl was presenting, and that they loved my pictures and wanted me to attend…..

Obviously you now know the outcome and the support I have since it aired has ben overwhelming………

FUTURE

I guess the world is my oyster as the older, wiser people in my life keep phrasing it as. I am hard-working, determined and passionate, but doing all this is not just for my own personal benefit, it is to be able to put myself in a position that I can help others in areas I am passionate in e.g business, music, modeling now, charities so just keep an eye out, and keep supporting….Love, Luck n Light…………Nicole xx