Aspiring singer Tianna Weir has made it through to the regional finals of a UK-wide competition seeking vocal talent – despite only singing solo in public for the first time less than a year ago.

Tianna, 15, who lives in Chippenham and attends Sheldon School, wowed Open Mic UK judges in Bristol last month with her dazzling a capella version of Etta James’ I’d Rather Go Blind.

Now the teenager will take part in a live head-to-head battle in the under-16 category on Sunday in front of hundreds of spectators at the University of Bristol.

She was entered into the competition by her grandad Derek Purvis.

Mr Purvis, 55, of Pewsham, said: “Tianna’s always sung since she was about four. Some of it was good, some of it wasn’t that good. I became fed up of hearing her sing out of tune and suggested that if she was serious about her singing, then I would pay for some professional coaching. She’s been going to Bella Finch in Bath every week for the past 18 months and she’s come on in leaps and bounds.”

Tianna, of Marshall Street, has been a member of amateur dramatic group Chippenham Highlights for 11 years but has never done karaoke and only sang solo for the first time in a school production last Christmas.

She said she was spurred on by the response.

“I’d never had a reaction like that before, where people came and congratulated me,” she said.

“It was very positive and they’ve been trying to push me to do more stuff.”

She is not upset by her grandad’s candidness. “I need the criticism; it’s the only way I’m going to improve,” she said.

She has not yet decided what she is going to perform on Sunday, but is hoping for the best as the winner of the grand final will be given £5,000 to help develop their music career.