A RIBBLE Valley student who made it to the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent is expecting great things in 2016 after announcing she will be working on a new album in the New Year.

Ella Shaw, 19, from Langho, is set to start recording songs featuring many musicians she’s worked and performed with in her career.

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A former pupil of St Mary’s RC Primary School, in Langho, and St Augustine’s RC High School, at Billington, the rising star has had a rollercoaster of a year after entering into the UK’s largest talent competition and only just missing out on a place in the final in May.

Ella said the album is something she has always wanted to tick off her list and feels it is the next step forward in her career.

She plans to raise funds to cover the costs of producing the album by possibly holding a series of gigs.

Ella said: “I’ve got enough material to fill three albums, so it’s going to be a difficult process to bring it down to just one album.

“I wanted to work with people who I have collaborated with in my career.

“I had a wonderful jazz piano teacher, Trish Ferrarin, who is very talented, and I would really like to work with her.

“She helped me write my most famous song, Summer Time, and I really want to use that on the album, but the rest is a secret.

“So far, I’ve raised about £500, and it will cost a couple of thousand to record, print covers and release it.

“I wanted to do it on my own to prove to myself I can do it.

“I raised £1,000 or so in the summer as part of the concert for the Foundation for Ribble Valley Families charity, so maybe I could do something like that again for my album.”

The singer received local and national attention after her spell on the televised talent show and had already released a debut single, If You Want to Love Her, in 2014.

As of January, the jazz singer will also be working with The Grand’s performing arts project Backstage Pass, which is designed to develop young talent and help encourage self-expression.

Ella said: “It’s great to be working with the children at The Grand.

“I wanted to give something back and, as I’ve performed there so many times and I have many fans there, I feel it’s a great way of saying thank you.

“Each year has been better and better, and, touch wood, next year is going to be even bigger.”

Ella said she will begin her untitled album next month and hopes to release it some time next year.