As a raving introvert with extrovert tendencies, I always struggled with shyness and self-confidence - and developed severe social anxiety as a result of bullying as a child and in my teens.

I also had a few terrifying performance ordeals in my early years - which meant that although I'd always LOVED music and singing, I didn't even begin attempting to perform until I was at university (studying for my B.Sc. Hons).  Unfortunately an overly enthusiastic musical director cast me in a role I was totally incapable of singing (at the time) - and so my terror of performing was reinforced, meaning I didn't dare even think of trying to sing again until my late 20s.

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Then one day I decided to join a community choir, took some lessons with the director - even those lessons made my stomach flip, my legs shake, my heart pound and my voice wobble!  But I was hooked.  And I was encouraged to pursue classical singing as well as contemporary and musical theatre because - well, apparently I had a voice! 

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The only problem was, that voice didn't want to work for anyone but me.