IN THE SPOTLIGHT

A member of Kidz Bop, who have sold more than 21 million albums, Mia McLoughlin has travelled the world with her work singing, filming musical videos and appearing on stage in the West End

Teen star of the stage and screen Mia McLoughlin, who has worked in the West End and sung on a Robbie Williams album, is all set for a new chapter in her life.

Mia, 16, who is from Whalley, attended Whalley Primary School before being awarded a scholarship at the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London five years ago.

Within two days of starting at the theatre school, Mia landed her first job at the tender age of 12 playing Cosette in Les Miserables, one of Cameron Mackintosh’s longest running musicals of all time.

Jo McLoughlin, Mia’s mum, recalls: “Mia auditioned in the presence of Cameron Mackintosh and got the role.

“She started rehearsals in London then flew out with amazing chaperones, a tutor and the full cast of Les Miserables, to Dubai to perform the first ever West End show in the United Arab Emirates. It was a six-week residency to celebrate the opening of the Dubai Opera House.”

Following her performances in Les Miserable, Mia went on to play Amanda Thripp in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda the Musical for over a year in Covent Garden.

“She spent a full year performing up to five times a week, in all she completed 148 performances,” explains Lee McLoughlin, Mia’s dad.

Mia and the Matilda cast appeared as special guests on Brtiain’s Got Talent finals show, in front of Simon Cowell and the other judges.

In 2019 Mia, who as a youngster attended Little Voices in Whalley and Dance Works in Clitheroe, auditioned and was selected for Kidz Bop – a worldwide music brand that produces family-friendly cover versions of pop songs.

Kidz Bop have sold more than 21 million albums and generated more than 4.5 billion streams worldwide.

Since being selected Mia has been lucky enough to travel the world with Kidz Bop – making music videos in Miami, New York and Germany.

In 2019 while still at the Sylvia Young Theatre School and performing with Kidz Bop, Mia got the opportunity to audition to sing with Robbie Williams. “Many others auditioned but Mia got the chance to be a part of it and is the credited featured artist on Robbie Williams’ Cocos Christmas Lullaby track on The Christmas Present Album.”

Last year Kidz Bop were planning a world tour including two nights at the London Palladium, but as Jo recalls: “Everything was cancelled due to the pandemic.”

However, Mia and members of Kidz Bop were asked to take part in a five-part Kids Sky documentary which covered the cancellation of their tour, the ups and downs and what goes on behind the scenes.

They then performed their full show to a virtual audience live.

Having performed with Kidz Bop at the BAFTA Children’s Awards at the Roundhouse Camden, Mia also took part in this year’s opening of the televised Children In Need appeal at the BBC studios in London.

Now aged 16, Mia is moving on to the next chapter of her life when she will continue her training at Performers College in Essex for three years while still auditioning for stage roles.

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