A YOUNG singer-songwriter has won the first Rugby’s Got Talent competition to be held in five years.
Kieran Taylour, 23, impressed judges by performing his own compositions at the competition’s final at St Andrew’s Church – winning £500 and a support slot at this year’s Rugby Christmas Lights switch-on.
Finishing in joint second place were singers Emily Goodwin, 16, and Sasha Roberts, 13, who each won time at a recording studio.
There was also a tie for third place – between 10-year-old ventriloquist Emma Greer and singer-songwriter Abz Winter.
Announcing the winners, Mayor Tom Mahoney said: “The results were incredibly close and every single entrant displayed an awesome level of talent.”
The competition was revived by Rugby Dunsmore Rotary Club, Rugby FM and Rugby Area Talent Trust (RATT) for this year’s Rugby Festival of Culture.
RATT trustee David Head said: “We were delighted with the diversity of acts that made their way to the finals.
“From a fantastic young dance group, to a guitar orchestra, to a 10 year old ventriloquist in addition to a fantastic range of singers, it was a delight to see then in action.”
Chairman of the judges Mike Folly from the Rotary Club of Rugby Dunsmore added: “I was there to oversee the process but not to vote, so I really felt for the other judges who had a really difficult task to rank the acts.
“Although the winning act managed a narrow but clear margin above the others, it was impossible to divide two other acts who came jointly second and two further acts who came a joint third.”
