A RISING star is preparing to perform her biggest gig yet at the O2 Academy Oxford – just five years after she was there doing work experience.

The career of 19-year-old Tilly Valentine, from Witney, has gone from strength to strength after she began performing with a new band under her own name.

She will perform at the Cowley Road venue next week as part of Uprising, presented by BBC Introducing, which supports unsigned and undiscovered talent.

Miss Maddocks, who uses her middle name for performing, said: “BBC Introducing had played some of my songs before and they asked if I would like to play at the Academy.

“It’s so exciting. I’ve wanted to play there for ages. I think it could be the biggest gig we’ll do.

“It is funny that five years ago I was doing a work experience placement there.”

The teenage singer-songwriter first became interested in music and performing at an early age at both The Batt Primary School and Henry Box School.

When it was time to go to college, Miss Maddocks managed to earn herself a place in the prestigious Brit School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon, London.

She said: “I used to make Youtube videos and somebody commented on one asking if I went to Brit School. After that I looked into it and it seemed like an amazing place.

“It really didn’t seem realistic that I would be able to go there. Only five per cent of their students aren’t from its catchment area – but I managed to get through the process and was accepted.

“I was worried because the standard there was so high and I wasn’t sure whether it would be competitive, but everyone was really supportive. It was an exciting time. I had the same teachers who taught Adele and Amy Winehouse."

Since then, Miss Maddocks, who is now studying performance at The Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford, has begun performing under her own name with a new band.

She works with a German producer, Mattis, when starting to write a song, which has influenced her current band with more of an electric sound.

Miss Maddocks, who has performed in backing choirs for Sam Smith and Rod Stewart, said: "It's a nice challenge working with somebody who's in Germany. But we're always easy to contact so it works.

“This is ideally what I want to make my career from. It’s a lot of pressure when it’s your name and your songs.

“Now I just want to keep writing and performing and getting my stuff recorded, hopefully playing bigger venues and just performing and writing as much as I can."

Tilly Valentine will perform at the O2 Academy in Oxford on Friday. She will also play the Jericho Tavern on Friday, February 24.

For more information search Tilly Valentine Music on Facebook.