Britain's Got Talent's Sydnie Christmas ready to tell her true story after whirlwind year

Britain's Got Talent winner Sydnie Christmas may have had a whirlwind year since being crowned winner of the ITV contest, but she has plenty more she wants to achieve as she shares her story on stage

As Britain's Got Talent returns to our screens, last year's winner Sydnie Christmas has opened up on what she has called a "whirlwind" year.

Sydnie, 29, was speaking exclusively to the Mirror prior to her recent show at the Glasshouse in Gateshead, which was part of her My Way Tour. She reminisced on her dramatic rise to fame before she stepped out onto the stage to share her moving story with her fans.

The Gravesend native, who stunned the BGT judges with a flawless performance of Tomorrow from Annie to be awarded Amanda Holden's Golden Buzzer in the auditions 12 months ago, shared her gratitude at how her life has changed. However, she insists the best is yet to come and admitted she is "dreaming big".

Despite winning last year's ITV talent show and going on to perform in front of the King at the Royal Variety Performance while also releasing a debut album, Sydnie insists her main dream has not changed; she still has her sights on a big West End performance. "Of course it hasn't changed," she said. "You can't walk in to a West End show, though. You have to be right for the role. I'm still auditioning. There are things that I'm not right for and I don't get, but that's just that game.

"But, what BGT has done is put me on a pedestal for people to go 'oh that's Sydnie'. So it does help. It helps me get into a room because people already know I can sing. So it's helped me in that respect. So, yeah I'm still dreaming and waiting."

However, she confessed she would be happy with any work to do with performing, as long as she can keep on living her best life. "I've so many dreams," she went on. "Every opportunity, I'm happy for. Just getting consistent work, then I'm living the dream. As long as it carries on then I'm happy. Any of it. Any type of performing. Whether it be on the stage or whether it be this [touring]. I'm learning that I absolutely love it."

She also said she would love to do another album, and teased one "should be coming". "Yeah, I want to do it all," she excitedly claimed, before adding with a laugh: "I don't mean to be greedy. Dream big."

For now, she has a number of dates left on her tour, which she says is allowing her to share her real life story with her fans. "My aim [for this tour] was just to show the people that know me from BGT my story. How I got here. People who watch will understand it's not all been easy. I make it funny, but it's been very difficult. There have been a lot of nos. I hope to show people a bit more about me, really, the person they voted for.

And indeed the show does exactly that as she mixes her powerful vocals with emotional yet funny stories from her journey to get to where she is now. "I'm a story teller," she went on. "It's just weird telling my own story. I'm not acting as anything. I'm just simply being myself, which I've actually found the most scariest thing yet, but it's been amazing."

She also explained how all could have been so much different if she hadn't "won Simon round" in her first audition. As she took to the BGT stage last January, Amanda told her how her song choice of Tomorrow wasn't a favourite of the music mogul's. "What could I think [at that moment]," she said when asked if his eye rolling had affected her. "I was sort of like, well there's nothing I can do now. I haven't got another song. He was either going to have to like it or that was it for me. So, I was hoping I could change his mind. That was the plan."

Her flawless performance certainly did just that as she won over all four judges as well as the public. It led to her winning the whole series and performing in front of the royal family in a moment she labelled "the best experience" before admitting: "It rounded off the BGT experience perfectly."

While Sydnie is currently living her dream, she defiantly told others not to give up on their own passions. Revealing her best bit of advice to those hoping to follow in her footsteps in years to come, she said: "Be brave, be yourself, and just go for it."

And to those not yet ready to audition, she said: "Learn your craft. if you want to dance, take as many dance classes as your heart desires because even now I have singing lessons all the time. It's a technique. So practice, practice, practice, do nothing else."

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