LESS than a year ago, Sydnie Christmas was ready to give up on her dream of making it in music after setbacks caused her to fall out of love with the industry.
But a final throw of the dice in applying for Britain’s Got Talent saw her fortunes finally change – with the singer crowned champion of the ITV show earlier this summer.
Since then work has been coming thick and fast.
And her latest offer appears to have fallen straight out of a Hollywood film script.
Over the weekend Sydnie took to the stage at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles to perform as part of music legend David Foster’s 75th birthday bash.
Alongside her on the bill was Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, five-time Grammy winner Michael Buble and Italian singing supremo Andrea Bocelli.
“When I walked into rehearsals and heard Jennifer I thought it was a C, then I saw her, someone I’ve idolised during my career, and I cried,” Sydnie tells Bizarre’s Jack Hardwick backstage.
“I was going to call it quits.
“I’d applied for BGT four times, but each time I would pull out of the process.
“It was my last chance.
During her trip to LA, Sydnie has hit the ground running – squeezing in everything from shooting a music video with The Greatest Showman’s Loren Allred, to a glamorous dinner with BGT judges Amanda Holden and Bruno Tonioli in West Hollywood.
And that’s all before she took to the stage at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday night.
Sydnie adds: “Amanda is so lovely to me.
“She is only a message away if I ever need her.
“It’s the same with Bruno.
“They both just want me to do well.
“They want what’s best.
“It’s lovely to have people believe in you like that.”
As she hangs out with me over the weekend, it’s clear to see Sydnie is laser focused on her career.
As we kill time in her dressing room, I can’t resist a glass or two of the free flowing white wine.
Sydnie on the other hand sticks to water and tea, including Twinning’s calming Camomile for her nerves.
“I will not drink until after the Hollywood Bowl performance and hopefully I’ll be celebrating,” Sydnie laughs.
“The one person I need to really impress is myself as I can be so nervous for one but also I can be so critical of myself.
“I want to take all of this in.
‘NOT RISKING IT’
“Then I’ll have a big glass of a vodka coke, that’s my go to but I also love red wine.”
She adds: “I’m not drinking to protect my voice.
“Alcohol dehydrates your vocals, I’m not risking it.
“Don’t get me wrong, a glass of red before bed but no more than one.”
While both have been on very different journeys, it’s hard not to compare rising star Sydnie to an early Adele.
Both have jaw-dropping vocals and personalities by the bucket load.
Stepping out on stage in front of a room full of intimidating billionaires and millionaires for David’s private birthday dinner at Fox Studios, Sydnie couldn’t resist cracking a joke and letting her personality shine throughout.
After David explained her back story and asked her to tell them “how she got here” she cheekily hit back “by plane”.
The room erupted with laughter and Sydnie later tells me: “Oh God, I forgot I said that.
“At least it didn’t fall flat.
“That would have been awkward.”
She’s clear though that her goofy tongue-in-cheek nature isn’t part of an act.
Later this month she will perform in front of The King at the Royal Variety Show at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
A Christmas single, naturally, is also on the cards.
‘LUCKY CHARM’
And next year Sydnie will embark on her first headline UK tour kicking off in Glasgow in February.
But she admits to me she can’t even predict what will happen beyond that.
Sydnie says: “The plan is with whatever opportunities I get to do the best I possibly can.
“That’s all I hope for.
“After this year I don’t really have a bucket list.
“So many things have happened to me that I didn’t think would happen.
“It’s all unbelievable.
“I don’t want a break.
“I’ve got a panto back home in Kent and then the tour. I want to hopefully constantly be in work.”
Though while she’s not certain where her career will take her, Sydnie is certain of one thing – whatever comes her way she will never let it go to her head.
Sydnie adds: “There is no way I’d turn into a diva.
“At the end of the day we are very lucky to be doing what we want to do.
“If you turn into someone horrible then who is going to want to work with you.
“I’ve learned you don’t know what can happen in a year.
“Next year may not be as good as this year but I don’t even want to think about it.
“I want to do the best I can with what comes my way.”
Sydnie also lets me into a little secret before heading out on stage to perform, she’s always carrying her lucky charm.
She beams: “I’ve got my Golden Buzzer flake from my first audition at BGT
“I’m going to keep it with me.”
It’s safe to say it worked. She brought the house down.
