Gamu is walking on sunshine

Hamish Hutchinson • Published 25 Aug 2010 09:30 Comments 1 Comment

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Gamu Nhengu was a smash hit on Saturday's X-Factor.

A WEE County girl is proving to be a big hit on the X-Factor and is already tipped to win the show despite it being only the first week.

Gamu Nhengu blew the judging panel away at her audition in Glasgow with her own take on the Katrina and the Waves song 'Walking on Sunshine’.

With four emphatic 'yes’ votes, the former Alva Academy pupil was put through to boot camp on Saturday night’s show.

Although it will be months before the end of the series, the bookies have already made her odds on to win the competition.

She said, “Hopefully I’ll live up to it. I’m up for the challenge. It’s awesome but there is a lot of competition and a lot of talented people this year.”

The teenager, who moved to Clackmannanshire from Zimbabwe almost five years ago, always stood out at the Hillfoots secondary school and performed whenever she had the chance.

Her potential for singing stardom was seen by her former music teacher and mentor David Clifford, who even penned a song for Aberlour Child Care Trust with her in mind. Released in December 2007, 'Where will you sleep this Christmas?’ raised thousands of pounds for the charity.

Since leaving school before the summer, Gamu has kept in regular contact with Mr Clifford who has been offering her advice.

He said “To help notice, nurture and develop Gamu’s talent has been a privilege over the last five years. I sincerely hope she achieves her dreams. If I can help keep her feet on the ground and her head held high over the next few months then I shall be very proud.”

Gamu was one of thousands to audition at the SECC in Glasgow during the summer in front of regular judges Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell and guest judge, ex-Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.

Speaking before taking the stage, Gamu said, “If I have got a chance to change my family’s life by doing what I love, that is the ultimate. I want to get up on that stage and I want everybody to leave Glasgow and think, 'The girl with the flower in her hair; she was great’. That’s all I want.”

She got her wish as since the performance was screened on the first episode of the new series on Saturday Gamu has become a major talking point.

Already more than a dozen fan-based facebook pages have sprung up dedicated to the singer. However she has also been embroiled in controversy surrounding the programme-maker’s decision to auto-tune some of the contestants voices, including her own.

Singing 'Walking on Sunshine’ as her mother Nokutula watched from the sidelines, Gamu tweeked the lyrics to reflect a doomed relationship so the chorus went “You’re my sunshine, woah...but you gotta go”.

Music guru Simon Cowell told her, “You sang one of my worst songs, ever, but you did something different with it Gamu and I really, really, really like you.” The teenager broke down in tears as Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole asked, “This means the world to you doesn’t it?” To which she replied, “It means everything to me.”

Gamu lives with her mother and two little brothers Milton and Marty in Tillicoultry. While she plucked up the courage to take part in the X-Factor audition process, watching it back on television was another story.

She said, “I closed my eyes and ears and I let everyone else watch it. Then they told me everything - the good bits and bad bits - and then I mentally prepared myself and I watched it.”

More than 11 million viewers tuned in on Saturday night, including pupils and staff at her former school. Alva Academy depute headteacher Stuart Clyde said the whole school was very proud of Gamu.

He added, “The music department is especially proud of her success; they worked with Gamu very closely throughout her school career.

“She had a great many opportunities to perform whilst at Alva Academy and she did so at almost all of the school events both in Alva Academy itself and at countless other venues including The Scottish Parliament Buildings and Oran Mor in Glasgow celebrating SQA’s Star Awards whilst representing the school.

“Outwith her singing talent she achieved well in her academic studies and was a model pupil, popular with staff and other pupils alike.

“We wish her all the very best in the competition and we will be rooting for her all the way.”

This article appeared in Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser 25 Aug 10

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Paul
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Oct 24, 14:56
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Gamu is a really lovely girl I liked her even before she sang ,when they interviewed her infront of the crowd.Before she sang she said I want to be someone some people talk about .Well she as certaily managed that! I love the song where will you sleep this chritmas it says so much about her plight .If it is an hit this christmas Aberlour can announce how much money she made for charity and show people just how much she can pay back.Then maybe some people will take back the things that they said.

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