Excitement follows Helpston girl, Ellie Davies wherever she goes at the moment as she is part of a music group that is in fighting mood to win the TV show ‘Britain’s Got Talent’.
A former pupil of John Clare School, King’s School and a musician with Helpston Church Band, Ellie has been playing the cello since she was ten years old. Now at eighteen, and studying for A-levels at Cambridge, she has got together with some fellow students to form ‘The Arrangement’ – a band that might be termed ‘crossover’ as they offer sound musicianship as a backing to upbeat, popular songs.
Ellie Davies; outside her home in Helpston
To a backing of Ellie on cello, three violins, a pianist, drums and bass, singer Jono Miles ( a Boris Johnson look-alike) sang modern songs including Lady Gaga’s ‘Pokerface’ while executing some rather odd and jerky dance moves – all very unusual – which may be exactly what the judges are looking for!
Describing their feelings as ‘excited’ rather than nervous when they were due to perform before the Mighty Simon Cowell and panel, the group of eighteen year-olds were thrilled to get the vital three ‘Yeses’ to go on to the next round of the competition. If they are successful here, we shall see them on our screens again in the semi-final, due to be televised on the evening of 31st May, or shortly after.
The group have appeared with Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on ‘This Morning’, on National news and several radio stations. The Sun newspaper characteristically billed them as ‘The Sex-Tion’.
Asked about her opinion of singer Susan Boyle and her success, Ellie described her as ‘something to aspire to’ and was glad that she “had got her dream”.
In reply to our question about her own dreams, Ellie said she was “taking each day as it comes,” but agreed that she would find it thrilling to go on tour and appear at the O2 Arena if the group made it to the final.
All the students have decided that they will take a year off as a GAP year from their studies if they are successful. Ellie would be delaying her plans to study French, Spanish and possibly music at Durham University where she hopes to gain a place. After that she says that she is not the kind of person who could sit behind a desk all day but might work in marketing of be a manager in the music industry (Has she seen the £ signs in Simon Cowell’s eyes?)
The families have been ‘very supportive’ and attended the auditions. However, “My sisters were a bit worried about watching the show in case we were rubbish,” said Ellie. Thankfully Hettie, Annie, Jemima, and brother Leo did not have to worry on that score.
When the ‘Tribune’ called at Ellie’s home, she was just as excited about the four pairs of shoes she had just bought – a sale treat for her, who ‘hadn’t bought shoes for ages’.
She is the lovely unspoilt girl we all know and love. We wish her and her friends every success with ‘The Arrangement’ and ‘Britain’s Got Talent’.
Note: The show is on ITV on Saturday evenings. If you missed Ellie you can see her on the internet Youtube site. Sue Young
