A TALENTED teenager has breezed through to the next round of a prestigious singing competition.

Palmer’s College student Meg Symons needed only a few seconds in front of a panel of Teen Star judges, performing Laserlight, the hit of Essex-based star Jessie J, to convince them she was good enough to progress to the next round of the competition.

The successful audition, which took place at the Palace Theatre in Southend on Saturday, January 26, edges the 16-year-old songstress a step closer to her dream of stardom.

Dubbed by her friends and family as “the new Beyonce” Meg, who is studying performing arts at Palmer’s, but hails from Latchingdon in north Essex, is a fan of “big” voices in pop music.

She draws inspiration from the likes of Beyonce and Jessie J, who regularly blow audiences away with their powerful vocals.

It’s the influences of these stars, and Meg’s own dynamic voice, that meant Teen Star judges cut her audition short, convinced early on the youngster, though small in height, has big talent.

“It went really well,” said Meg, reflecting on the audition. “They took us 16 to 19-year-olds off in groups of six and we each had to sing to the judges without a backing track, which was really nerve-wracking.

“I got cut short by the judges very early on in my song so I was really worried.

“Then you leave the room and within 15 minutes the judges have made their minds up.

“A woman came up to me and two others and told us we were the only ones out of the six to have been picked for the next round.

“It felt amazing. Last year I went in to audition for The Voice and didn’t get past the first round, which knocked my confidence. “But I was speechless [after being put through in Teen Star].”

Next up is the regional finals at the Palace Theatre on March 17, where Meg will perform in front of a live audience. Should she make it through, an opportunity to perform at the O2 Arena in London beckons.

The competition has been won previously by Birdy, who went on to have a top 20 hit with Bon Iver’s song Skinny Love.

Meg added: “The plan is just to try and get on stage ane show everyone what I can do.

“Singing is my way to show feelings, it’s my way of telling people how I feel and what my story is.

“I said to my mum after getting through, when it comes to the next round I’m more than happy if I don’t get through because I will have got to perform on stage to a live audience, which is part of my dream coming true.”