It's Girl power - Sydnie Christmas joins the switch-on line up

The first woman singer to win Britain’s Got Talent is joining the Blackpool Illuminations Switch-On party.

Sydnie Christmas, who wowed the public in the BGT final earlier this year, joins a star-studded bill including Kimberly Wyatt, Ella Henderson and Switch-On star Mel B.

Massaoke, performed by Rock Weekend, completes the musical line up for the free event, which is being staged on the Tower Festival Headland on Friday 30 August in association with Hits Radio.

Sydnie began her career in musical theatre and appeared in various productions before entering the 17^th series of Britain’s Got Talent.

After receiving judge Amanda Holden’s “Golden Buzzer” for her audition performance of Tomorrow from the musical Annie, she advanced straight to the semi-finals. She eventually won the overall final singing Somewhere Over The Rainbow and capturing more than 27% of the public vote.

That first audition has since been watched by more than 40 million people.

Sydnie is about to release her debut album, My Way, and embark on her first national tour.

The Switch-On celebrations will start from around 5pm with some of Blackpool’s brightest young musicians taking to the stage in the run-up to the main event with a non-stop series of performances.

The Upbeat Rock Academy, which organises rock music tuition for more than 300 students from across the Fylde Coast, will present Blackpool Introduces, a 90-minute-long showcase of local talent.

The young people will be joined by Blackpool-based House of Wingz, an award-winning hip hop dance crew that has already been featured on prime time national television.

They will be followed by the main event: A two and a half hour show hosted by Leanne and Joel, presenters of Hits Radio breakfast show.

It will open with the Massaoke show performed by Rockstar Weekend, a unique mass participation touring production featuring lyrics from some of the greatest crowd-pleasing hits of all time projected on the giant LED screens. It’s the show where you, the public, become the stars, with the aim of creating the biggest family singalong that Blackpool has ever seen!
 

They will be followed on stage by American-born Kimberly Wyatt, who is now settled in the UK as a singer, dancer, actor and TV personality. Kimberly achieved worldwide fame with The Pussycat Dolls, selling more than 15 million albums and 40 million singles worldwide, becoming one of the biggest-selling girl groups of all time.

She will bring her high-energy, fun DJ set, featuring some of the biggest tracks of the Noughties, dance hits and other pop classics.

Kimberly will be followed by Sydnie Christmas before headliner Ella Henderson takes to the Switch-On stage to perform an extended set from her extensive catalogue of hits.

Then comes the iconic moment when Spice Girl Mel B pulls the famous switch to trigger four months of Illuminations with a spectacular burst of lasers and fireworks.

Mel is making a nostalgic return to the resort where her career first started as a 16-year-old dancer in the Mystique show at Pleasure Beach Resort.

For more information on Blackpool Illuminations and the Switch-On event, head to visitblackpool.com