Darcey Ridgway-Brown, aged 14 years is in the Fourth Form at Lancing College, where she is being given great 
opportunities to develop her musical talent.
Alongside her academic studies, she sings with a rock band at school and has performed in a number of school concerts.
Last year she won a solo singing category in Lancing College’s annual, competitive House Music Competition.
Darcey also attends singing lessons outside College Darcey recently auditioned for the Regional Final of the prestigious TeenStar singing competition – and she, along with other impressive acts, has been selected to go forward. This is a real honour.
Darcey will perform an original song, entitled Golden Days, by the celebrated songwriter Tony Norman, on stage at the Regional Final at the Hove Centre on 30th March.
Golden Days was written especially for Darcey and celebrates the euphoria surrounding the 2012 Olympics. She sings this number, for which she holds the rights, on Tony Norman’s latest album, My Cool Sixties.
TeenStar Competition
This competition for teens and pre-teens, is a new national singing contest specifically for teenage singers, duos, vocal groups, rappers and solo artists throughout the UK. The competition is expected to attract over 8,000 acts as it travels across the country in search of the best young artists. The competition is open to all genres: pop, RnB, grime, acoustic and classical.
Prizes include recording studio time and music development classes – and the overall winner will receive £5,000 to spend on the development of their music.
Darcey Ridgway-Brown is competing in the ‘Mid-Teens’ category, for those aged between 13 – 15 years. There are also ‘Late-Teens’ and ‘Pre-Teens’ categories.
Tony Norman
A songwriter, journalist, broadcaster and freelance music consultant, Tony Norman has been involved in music since the 1960s. He has interviewed all-time pop icons, such as John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Mick Jagger. Tony’s upcoming album, My Cool Sixties, due to be released, is inspired by his autobiography of the same name.
TeenStar Regional Finals
The Regional TeenStar Finals, to be held in Hove, will feature the best young acts in this region. Judges will include national radio, regional press, BBC Introducing, record labels and celebrity judges.
The National Grand Final, the climax of the competition, will be staged at the IndigO2, within the O2 in London.
Music at Lancing College
The standard of music at Lancing College is outstanding, across all disciplines: classical instrumental, choral, jazz, swing, rock, contemporary music and composition. Lancing College Music School has developed strong links with the professional musical world in all these spheres, and offers as eclectic a mix of music as one is likely to encounter at any school.
The College gives between 25 and 30 public concerts each year, including performances in prestigious outside venues, major classical concerts, choral evensongs, carol services, House Music Competitions, Founder’s Day concerts, lunchtime concerts and rock concerts.