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ast year, Lydia Lucy was among the thousands of wannabe pop stars who auditioned for The Voice. Now, a year on,

her dreams have become a reality, but finding fame has been far from easy for the 23-year-old Essex girl. In 2013 she auditioned for The X Factor but was knocked out just before Judges’ Houses. Determined to make it in the music industry, the songstress came back fighting. This time, not on The X Factor, but its rival show, BBC’s The Voice. After wowing the judges in her blind audition, she went on to make Team Will’s final three for the live shows. Since then her career has gone from strength to strength, performing across the world alongside some of the biggest names in music. new! caught up with Lydia to find out more about Will.i.am, her rise to stardom and life since The Voice...

Hi Lydia! How did it feel to be a finalist on The Voice?I was ecstatic, but it was a long time coming. Hearing the feedback from the coaches was so overwhelming. I still can’t believe I made the final four. I was in a different world; all

my dreams came true at once.What made you audition for The Voice rather than The X Factor again?I see The Voice as a very credible show; I love the idea that the judges can’t see you before you perform, so it’s not about your image but about how you sing and whether they like your voice and style of music.Three of the four judges turned for you, so what made you pick Will?It was an obvious choice for me; he raps and he’s an amazing producer - I just felt like we had a connection instantly. Not only was he the first to turn but he pressed his button aboutnine seconds into my performance, which made my mind up.What was he like to work with? He is just as crazy as he is on TV, I always think of him as the ‘Willy Wonka’ of the music industry. I’ve been to his studios in LA and he’s a creative genius; for him, it’s not just about the music, it’s about the product, the video, and everything all in one. He’s quite a complicated

man, but when you talk to him he’s very grounded and family orientated, which is nice. What was the best piece of advice he gave you? Stay true to yourself, never let anyone change the path you want to go down; if it’s not working just keep trying and eventually it will work out.You were so close to winning the show, were you disapointed that you came fourth? No, I was kind of relieved that I didn’t win because I didn’t really like the winner’s single ‘All you good friends’. It wasn’t a single for me and it wasn’t my style when I recorded it. I was

just really happy to be in the finals and be able to work

with the judge I wanted.So, what happened after the show?

I didn’t hear from Will for about a week, but then, out of the blue

I got a call from his manager saying that I

needed to go to his studios in London for rehearsals with the Black Eyed

Peas. I was very excited. We rhearsed

for a week, and then performed a free show

at the Royal Albert Hall. After that, I got

an email through with tickets to LA, and I was like ’Okay don’t even ask if I’m

free’. They flew me over to his studios and then straight to France where we did the opening of the UEFAs [Uinon of European Football Associations]. Then, a few days after I got home, we did the Summertime Ball. They literally had me; whatever they said, I just did. It’s been a whirlwind of events since the show.On a scale of 1-10 how funny is Will?Definitely 10. One morning we were at the studios and he randomly said he wanted some lemon chicken. I thought; how are you going to get lemon chicken at 4am? His team must have gone to every Chinese takeaway in the city because they actually got it.Are you still in contact with Will? I still hear from him and his manager now and then, but they lead a very busy life, as do I, so it’s hard trying to get two people in the same place.

L

Backstage: Lydia with her coach Will.i.am

On stage: Lydia and Will at the Royal Albert Hall

You always look stunning, is it true fashion labels give you free clothes to advertise their brand?Yes, I try and only accept or wear things that I would actually wear. Now I’m a brand I can only wear certain things, so sometimes I have to politely say no. I love promoting Moda Minx, it’s my favourite bikini brand; they have some really quirky designs in at the moment.How have you been coping with the extra media attention?It doesn’t really bother me, at the end of the day the media will write what they want and I can’t stop it whether it’s right or wrong. I try to keep my personal life personal but there’s only so much you can control.

If you weren’t pursuing a career in music what would you be doing now? I’d definitely do something in the performing arts, like dancing or acting. I trained in all areas when I was younger and I’ve always loved being on stage. Sometimes I still attend dance classes, it’s great because I can sing, dance and enjoy myself on stage.

What’s next for you, is there an album on the way?I’ve just finished my album, it has 11 tracks but I don’t think it will be released as an album, I think it will be singles with a follow-up of an album. It’s a very unique sound, I’d describe it as urban futuristic pop. My dream is to have a single in the charts that

everyone loves and can sing along to.Will any other artists be featuring on your album?I wrote all the material myself, there are a couple of people on there - and I may be on theirs, but you’ll have to wait and see.Have you decided what the first single will be? I think ‘Instagram’ is a great single and should be released as soon as possible. Whenever I perform it, I seem to get a lot of positive feedback. Instagram is so current right now, so it makes sense to release it.What are your plans for the rest of 2017? I’m travelling to lots of different countries mainly for work, but I’ve also booked a holiday to Dubai for me and my boyfriend. I hope to release a single, get

a video together, and just aim for the

stars!