WITH only 24 hours left to enter our Times Talent competition, the contest is heating up to find Glasgow’s most talented citizen. 

Times Talent, supported by food ordering company Foodhub, will pit singers, dancers, artists and musicians against each other for a grand prize of £1000. 

Brother and sister dancing duo Connor and Olivia Layden are the latest set of siblings going up against each other in the competition. 

Nine-year-old Olivia has been dancing since she was 18 months old but Connor did not start until he was eight after he went along to Olivia’s dance class one night.

Mum Laura told the Glasgow Times he was adamant he would not do dancing but boys from his school convinced him to get involved.

He has not looked back since and has enjoyed great success so far. Connor is the current under-12 street dancing world champion. Despite his success, Laura said he can still be quite shy. 

Olivia is the opposite with her mum describing her as a “pocket rocket.”

The siblings fight and argue like most brothers and sisters, but when it comes to dancing, they are incredibly supportive of each other. She said: “They’re always there for each other. They’re very, very supportive. Connor is quite good with Olivia in that he’s very supportive in the classes, he’s really reassuring. When they come home at night you’ll hear them practicing in the background. They do help and they do encourage each other in that way.”

The pair are “constantly dancing” and will even take the opportunity to perform in shops. Laura added: “Any clothes shop you go into or anywhere where there’s music playing, you’ll tend to find my two.”

While Connor has no future plans in mind, he helps out with the teaching of the younger pupils at his dance school. Olivia is hoping to become a teacher. 
Laura added: “We’re very proud. We’re chuffed to bits.”

Another contestant hoping to take home the top prize is 12-year-old Somer Mcginlay from Cranhill. 

Somer’s mum, Lynn, decided to enter her daughter into Times Talent to help celebrate her dancing ability. 

Lynn said: “Somer has been into creative things like music, art and dancing ever since she was a young girl. 

“It’s really great because we are able to send Somer to Dance Generation at St. Paul’s Church in Blackhill for free and she has completely fallen in love with it.”
Somer would love to be a musical theatre star in the future and has kept up with her progress with dancing at home. 

Lynn said: “It’s been really hard on her to not be able to go to the dance classes in person but she has been able to do Zoom classes and she practices in her own time so many hours a day. 

“She is so dedicated to her dancing, I’m really, really proud of her.”
Lynn says that by entering Times Talent, it gives a reason to celebrate Somer’s dancing. 

She said: “It’s a bit of fun and it’s been a tough time for kids at the moment, so gives them a reason to get excited.”

37-year-old Ian Devine, from Penilee, is also hoping to take the top spot with his performing skills. 

The dad-of-one has entered with his guitar playing, something which he said he picked up from family members. 

Ian said: “My dad played guitar and in was in a band and used to play up the Barras. 

“I definitely got my interest and guitar skills from him. I used to play with him all the time and even still play now.”

Ian was made redundant during the pandemic, before finding new work at Home Bargains,  and says that he took comfort in his guitar. 

He said: “I really miss performing but at the moment playing the guitar was something I could escape lockdown from.

“I lost my job and it gave me something to do with my days rather than moping around the house.

“My dad and I used to perform around pubs in Glasgow which I am really looking forward to getting back to.”

Ian says that one of the most rewarding parts of playing the guitar is passing it down to his daughter. 

He said: “It’s really nice because I learned form my dad and then I teach my daughter too, so it goes through the generations.”

Today is the last day to enter our Times Talent contest for you chance to win £1000. 

To enter, head over to our online form here and send us a video of no longer than one minute showcasing your talent.