Blackburn singer Miranda reaches for the stars

6:21pm Wednesday 7th May 2008

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A YOUNG schoolgirl is singing her way to the top after being given the seal of approval by Sir Paul McCartney's fame academy.

Twelve-year-old Miranda Myles has now scooped the top prize in four singing competitions, winning two in just one week.

Last week Miranda, from Pleasington, wowed judges at the "Pop Idol" style Enterprising Music Championships at King George's Hall, beating 18 other acts from Blackburn and Darwen schools.

Just three days earlier the St Bede's RC High School pupil proved she was not just the best in the borough, but in the North West, by winning Reach For The Stars held at Paul McCartney's Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA).

It was the second year in a row that the prestigious contest, which has entrants up to the age of 18, has been won by a Blackburn singer.

Last year's winner was 17-year-old Charlotte O'Connor, who left her A level studies at Westholme School after she was spotted at the competition by a music promoter. She later signed a five year recording contract.

But Miranda's dad John said things will not be moving as fast for her.

Mr Myles said: "Miranda clearly has raw talent, and she's now having weekly lessons. She loves singing which is the most important thing, but she will be keeping her options open.

"She'd like to be professional singer, but she knows there's a lot of luck involved too."

Miranda's family - John, mum Kathryn and brother Rory, 15 - realised what talent she had when she won the first contest she entered, being crowned the 2006 junior winner of The Mall Stars at Blackburn shopping centre.

She then went on to win a Granada Reports talent competition last year, appearing on TV.

Mr Myles said: "She could enter a lot more contests, but she tends to pick and choose them.

Miranda won the Reach for the Stars competition with a rendition of Before He Cheats, a song by Carrie Underwood, a past American Idol winner.

Soulful ballads are Miranda's forte - she won the Blackburn contest with her version of Leona Lewis's Better In Time - but her dad said: "She's pretty versatile and likes to pick up new songs."

She recently recorded a CD of a number of songs at Blackburn College, which has its own recording studio and music label OnSong, and has sung at charity events after being asked by organisers.