Betws-y-Coed teenager battles X Factor for Christmas hit

Oct 27 2011 by Samantha Castle, North Wales Weekly News

A TALENTED teenager from Betws-y-Coed could be going head to head with the big guns of TV’s X Factor in the race for the Christmas number one spot.

Kate Wordsworth, 13, was among students from the girls-only Howell’s boarding school in Denbigh who joined professional artists to cut the charity single at the school’s own state of the art recording studio recently.

The chart challenger with a difference 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 innercity riots.

Kate said: “It was a really great experience and it was interesting just to be around the people who are working in the music business every day.

“I’d love to pursue a career in music and this has made me want to do it even more and has given me an insight into how the business works.

“The school has really good facilities and it would be amazing to get into the charts with it. That’s something you could only dream about.”

Robbie Locke, of Howell’s School, added: “We’re really delighted to be part of this. The recording facilities at Howell’s 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 also added: “This is a hugely exciting project which stems from the recent riots and devastation that hit our city centres.

“The money raised will go to 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.”

The single, which is released in early December, will go head-to-head with the Simon Cowell masterminded charity single featuring this year’s X Factor stars, which is favourite to be the Christmas number one.