HER first solo was when she was dressed as a ladybird at the age of nine – but after 11 years of classical training, Christina Warn is spreading her wings as a far more elegant soprano.

The 21-year-old may cringe at the family video of her cute wings and bobbing antenna, but it was the first recorded display of the passion and talent which has won her a place in the final of a national competition.

On November 28, she will take on around 20 people in her heat, to sing her way to the chance of winning a £20,000 recording contract in Open Mic UK, to be held in Portsmouth.

She said: "If you ask me just before I go on stage, I'll probably be terrified, but right now I can't wait. I'm just going to go out there and do my best."

Despite coming from a family with no inclination towards music, Christina, from Kingsteignton, South Devon, is entirely focused on her dream of leaving her admin job to become a professional recording artist – a goal she has worked towards since winning a music scholarship to Stover School, Newton Abbot.

There she flourished, and went on to secure a second scholarship at the prestigious Wells Cathedral School, one of the best institutions in the country for studying music. After two years of perfecting her skills "pretty much 24/7", she took time out of education to pursue her singing career. She has recorded a CD, and is now performing around twice a week, and fitting in two hourly singing coaching sessions with a tutor at Exeter University whenever possible, as well as working full time to pay the bills. She hopes to be able to take a part-time job soon, to allow her to train even more.

Christina's music is available at www.christinawarn.co.uk, where she is also rallying support for text votes to the competition.