It has been quite the year for Suffolk 13-year-old singer/songwriter Phoebe Austin following a series of musical highlights in 2018.
The Sudbury teenager can list getting signed by a record label, shooting her first music video and releasing her debut single among her achievements this year.
The talented teen began the year with second place in the Bury St Edmunds Songwriting Competition, which boasts Suffolk pop sensation Ed Sheeran as a former entrant.
The runner-up spot made Phoebe, who started playing the guitar aged seven, the youngest contestant in the competition to be placed so highly.
There was further good news in May when Phoebe was signed by record label Shlepp Entertainment.
Sudbury’s Quay Theatre played host to the filming of Phoebe’s first music video over two days in August for her track ‘Thinking’ – which she penned at age 12.
A live appearance on BBC Look East followed and Thinking was officially released in the charts on Monday, November 26.
A successful launch event for the single was also held, with a special guest appearance from boxing and kickboxing prodigy Tyler Ford.
To cap an amazing year for the former Ormiston Sudbury Academy student, another one of her original songs ‘All the Thoughts’ has been accepted to appear on a charity album to raise money for victims of the California camp fires.
Phoebe’s mum, Claire Austin, said: “It’s been such a busy year for her. She taught herself to play guitar when she was seven and found she just had a talent for it.
“She has been performing at open mic nights and that type of thing for a while, but this year things have really taken off.
“I really proud of her. Obviously I’m proud of what’s she achieved but I’m also proud of the way she has conducted herself and kept her feet firmly on the ground.”
The budding singer/songwriter will begin studying for her GCSEs at West Suffolk College in Bury St Edmunds in September as well as enrolling on a BTEC level 3 music course.
Mrs Austin added that Phoebe is keeping her options open as to what direction to take in the future.
“She loves musical theatre,” she said. “But I know she’d love to be a singer/songwriter in the future, that’s her thing.”
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