Zoe voicing support for Midland girls

Oct 19 2007 By Emma Cullwick, Birmingham Mail

TELEVISION vocal coach Zoe Tyler today backed Midland X Factor finalists Kimberley Southwick and Niki Evans to go all the way to the final.

Zoe, from Kings Norton, Birmingham, has coached singers for the BBC's How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? and Any Dream Will Do - talent shows seeking stars to take on West End roles in The Sound of Music and Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

She said she had been impressed by both Niki and Kimberley.

"I am addicted to X Factor at the moment," she said.

"It's great that there's two people from the Midlands in the competition, and both Kimberley and Niki have great voices.

Zoe, 37, said Niki, a 34-year-old mother of two, might find her age is against her.

"I think Niki's great and I like the fact that she's older, but she may find it harder," added Zoe.

"It's easier for younger people like Kimberley who is only 19 to get into the industry and sing pop, but older people find it difficult unless they have something like a jazz or a swing voice."

But she says she thinks both women have a fighting chance of being crowned the next X Factor winner.

"I think they've got a good chance of getting through to the final stages," added Zoe.

Zoe is no stranger to the stage herself. She began her career performing in Les Miserables, aged 20, before going on to tour in Jesus Christ Superstar, City of Angels, and Fame.

She has also been a backing singer for numerous artists, including Michael Ball, Cliff Richard, Sir Elton John, Barry Manilow, Donna Summer, Rod Stewart, Will Young, KD Lang and Bonnie Tyler.