The young British singing sensation talks to YP's junior reporters
Connie Talbot is on a tour of Asia.Her pitch-perfect performance in front of the harsh talent judge, Simon Cowell, won her the runner-up spot in Britain's Got Talent (BGT) at the age of six.
No longer the gap-toothed kid she was five years ago, she continues to delight audiences with her angelic voice.
She released her fourth album this year and our junior reporters spoke to the young British star during her visit to Hong Kong.
Connie successfully auditioned for the first series of BGT in 2007 and gained fame when she eventually finished runner-up to tenor Paul Potts.
"I didn't know what was going on back then but was surprised by the huge crowd and attention from the show," says Connie, who turned 12 last month.
YP junior reporters (from left) Crystal Tai, Minnie Yip and Nola Yip with the British singer in Hong Kong.
The song Over the Rainbow that won viewers' hearts when Connie appeared on BGT has a special meaning for her. "I used to sing it along with my granny while watching The Wizard of Oz together. The song has become my all-time favourite since then," says Connie.
Her debut album, also titled Over the Rainbow, sold more than 250,000 copies worldwide and reached No1 in Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea. Connie is positive about her fame and unfazed by success.
"I enjoy singing ... it's really good that I can meet all the people and see different cultures," she says.
Crystal Tai and Minnie Yip
Connie's fourth album, Beautiful World, was released last month and marks a great step forward for her. One of the highlights is the title track, which was written by Connie when she was seven and includes the lyrics: "I wish I knew why the clouds above are so beautiful."
"My music has become more sophisticated over the years. The new songs also have a pop feeling in them," says Connie.
She is planning to release another album in two years, featuring more original songs.
Harry Cheng
Connie is currently on a tour of Asia to promote her new CD, and this is her fifth visit to Hong Kong. Despite her music career, she manages to keep up with her schoolwork and rarely misses lessons.
"We will be going back to our normal lives after this [Asia tour], at least for a little while," says Gavin Talbot, who accompanied his daughter to the interview.
"The whole family is very proud of her, and as parents, we support both her music career and education in whatever way we can."
Tayyab Shazada
Connie will perform in a mini-concert on December 27 at Kitec, Kowloon Bay.