Pop
Sydnie Christmas nearly quit music before Britain's Got Talent breakthrough
Britain's Got Talent winner Sydnie Christmas reveals she nearly gave up singing to become a personal trainer before finding fame, as she celebrates her new album and announces upcoming UK and US tour plans.
Sydnie Christmas was preparing to give up on her singing career and become a personal trainer before finding fame on Britain's Got Talent.
The 31-year-old singer - who won the 17th series of the ITV talent competition in 2024 after wowing judges and viewers with her powerhouse vocals -admitted she had almost abandoned her dreams of stardom after years of struggling to break into the music industry.
Disillusioned with the entertainment industry, Christmas began retraining for a career that offered greater financial stability at the time.
Speaking at a fan event celebrating the release of her second album, The Artist, at London's Phoenix Arts Club on Wednesday (07.10.26), she recalled: "I was working at a gym. I was retraining to be a PT, and I was like, 'This career is gonna break my heart, but I think I've got to try and retrain to just be a bit more stable financially.'
"The first time in my life, I've ever looked at a back route."
The reality star revealed she had been trying to get onto Britain's Got Talent for four years before finally making it in front of the judges.
She explained: "I was actually auditioning for Britain's Got Talent over the process of four years.
"It takes a long time. You send videos, 'cause there's so many rounds before they even let you onto the programme.
"Sometimes, I didn't get through, and then I'd try again, and I'd maybe get through, and I was like, send another video.
"Then I'd be like, 'No!' Because I was too frightened."
And when she finally received the call to audition in front of Simon Cowell and his fellow judges, Christmas was given just five days to prepare.
She said: "I remember sending the videos, and then the email come up, and it was like, 'You are going in front of the judges in five days.'
"I went, 'OK,' and I had one song to go in with, and they was like, 'We want you to come in with at least three.'
"And I said, 'No.' Because I was like, 'No. I want to do it my way.'"
Christmas admitted the decision was a gamble because she had no backup song prepared if the judges rejected her choice.
She said: "If Simon would have gone, 'I don't like it. Pick another song,' I would have been like, 'I can't. I've got nothing.'"
The West End performer also revealed she was battling severe nerves before performing My Way on the talent show.
She recalled: "Just before I went on for My Way, I was dry heaving. I thought I was gonna throw up. I was really, I was really frightened."
But Christmas managed to overcome her anxiety and went on to win the competition.
She said: "You're either gonna let this overcome you, and you're gonna ruin your shot, basically. Or you can try and harness it and use it for your advantage."
Since her victory, the singer has been building an international career and is now preparing to hit the road for a six-date UK tour next May, with shows planned for London, Dartford, Southend and Newcastle.
The announcement was made at the fan event, where the host revealed: "This is your exclusive announcement, ladies and gentlemen.
"Yes, Sydnie is going to do six dates next May, which will be announced very, very soon."
She is also planning US tour dates in the spring after catching the attention of legendary music producer David Foster.
She said: "He got to see me on [BGT], and he took a liking to my voice, which is great.
"So I've been able to go over there and do a few gigs for him, which is amazing."
Her growing success overseas has also seen her perform in front of Prince Harry at a charity event in Canada, where she left the Duke of Sussex laughing with a cheeky joke about his father, King Charles.
Recalling the encounter, Christmas said: "Before I go up, David goes, 'Look who's in the front row, Syd.'
"And I was just like, look, and it's Harry, and I was just like, 'All right.' I didn't know what to do."
The stage star decided to break the ice with a joke about having previously met Harry's father.
She recalled telling the royal: "I've met your dad. I mean, sorry you couldn't come. He sent me instead."
The joke appeared to pay off, with Christmas revealing she was subsequently invited to perform at an event connected to Harry's Invictus Games.
She said: "He loved [the performance] so much that he invited me a couple of weeks ago to sing for the Invictus Games ... and it was just, it was so lovely."
The exciting plans come as Sydnie celebrates the release of her second album, which features the single Spirit, a deeply personal track inspired by her younger self and her journey to stardom.
Christmas planned the song towards the end of the recording process as she reflected on how far she had come.
She said: "I wrote Spirit coming to the back end, the beautiful back end of this process, and I was thinking about my younger self and looking at the album that I'd written."
The 13-track record, out now, features 12 songs co-written by Christmas and marks her first collection of original material.
