I love what I do and it would be a dream to be an artist in my own right and perform on the West End

I love what I do and it would be a dream to be an artist in my own right and perform on the West End

29 January 2025

A TALENTED  Downpatrick girl has her sights set on a career in music and the West End stage.

Lyla Edgar (11) is bristling with enthusiasm and her exuberant passion for what she does is a joy to behold, her infectious personality lighting up any room.

Next month, the Downpatrick Primary School pupil will be performing at the Future Talent 2025 event at the Grand Opera House in Belfast which showcases Ireland’s young musicians.

Lyla – who plays the guitar – is hoping to study music and drama at her post-primary school. She is one of 30 young people treading the boards at the Opera House on February 21 and 22, performing three shows over the two days.

The spotlight will be on Lyla on the afternoon of February 22 and she is looking forward to it.

The special showcase highlights Ireland’s emerging talent as the young musicians are handed a not-to-be-missed opportunity to be heard while they perform at one of Northern Ireland’s most iconic venues.

Future Talent aims to help talented young musicians fulfil their potential, keep them focused and motivated and instil a ‘yes you can’ attitude.

Music crosses all boundaries and is a great vehicle to bring everyone together to have lots of fun along the way.

As she builds up to the Grand Opera House event which is run by Total Talent and Shine, Lyla packs a lot into her busy week.

The bubbly schoolgirl has a busy itinerary but she takes everything in her stride and is always singing.

She attends singing lessons as well as the Shelley Lowry Drama School, Belfast’s Avenue Arts Academy, the Nichola Campbell School of Ballet and the GH Music School.

It seems there is no end to Lyla’s burgeoning talent and she is no stranger to performing in public.

She has performed at Glenarm Castle where she sang Upside Down by Paloma Faith and Get Happy by Zoe Burkett, who is currently starring in Tina, the West End musical about singing icon Tina Turner.

When she was younger, Lyla sang with Bright Young Things and while she has always been interested in singing, she loves the stage as well.

She began ballet lessons aged three and has always had an interest in performing.

“I love to sing and sing when I can,” beamed Lyla.

Previously she performed in a summer production of Matilda when Lyla played the role of Nigel and then subsequently performed the lead role in the Avenue Arts Academy’s Matilda production.

And she has become a dab hand at balancing school work with her singing, drama and guitar lessons and is loving life.

Lyla has busked at the Boulevard shopping centre in Banbridge and has also busked outside Belfast’s Victoria Square. In just over two weeks’ time she will be performing inside the popular shopping centre while in April the Downpatrick girl is off to Rushmere shopping centre in Craigavon to busk.

Lyla is also looking forward to her primary school’s annual production but no one knows what it is yet and last December she was in the spotlight for a different reason when she read one of the lessons at Down Cathedral’s Christmas carol service.

“I love what I do and it would be a dream to be an artist in my own right and perform on the West End,” she said.

Lyla’s mum, Jo, says her schoolgirl works hard at school and has her own agent which paves the way for her videos to be viewed by casting directors.

“Lyla has had a number of recalls after a casting director saw her pictures and then called her for a live audition,” Jo explained. “She got to go to London for her first ever recall and it was very exciting and she made the top three out of 2,500 tapes in a lead role in a feature film.

“While Lyla did not get the part, it was a huge experience for her and we were super proud that she got to audition in front of a casting director. She now knows what is involved.”

With a new month just days away, Lyla will be appearing in the Avenue Arts Academy’s junior production of Aladdin playing the Genie and in March she will be performing in Grease at The Mac in Belfast alongside other members of the Shelley Lowry School.

Tickets for the Grand Opera House event are available at goh.co.uk or telephone 028 9024 1919.