ANOTHER contestant hoping to walk away with the £1000 prize in our Times Talent competition is 21-year-old singer Marcedes Spalding. 

Marcedes started singing at a young age and her love for the skill has stayed with her every since. 

She said: “I started singing when I was a wee girl. 

“I loved it and would sing all the time. 

“At the age of seven I even sang at my auntie’s wedding. 

“My family have been really supportive since I started singing.”

Marcedes then began busking as a teenager, something which helped increase her confidence in performing.  

She said: “When I was 17 I started busking and I got a good reaction to it. 

“It really helped me to get my foot in the door and I started doing small support slots at gigs all over.”

READ MORE: Times Talent: Here's how you can cast your vote in our competition

Lockdown has been hard on Marcedes, right, who has missed the call of the stage.

She added: “I actually can’t wait to get back into somewhere and sing. 

“It felt like it has been forever. 

“Even if it’s a karaoke bar, I’ll be first up absolutely.

“In the video I sent in for my entry, that was the first time I was even able to busk since the lockdown began.”

For her entry into Times Talent, which is supported by food ordering company Foodhub, Marcedes has submitted a video of her performing an acoustic version of worldwide hit ‘Drivers Licence’ by Olivia Rodrigo. 

But belting out the pop hits isn’t all that she can do. 

Marcedes, from Cumbernauld, said: “I actually grew up listening to and singing to old school rock and roll, which is quite different to what I sing now. 

“I still love it but I tend to lean more towards the pop hits now .”

She decided to enter Times Talent after friends and family encouraged her to get involved. 

Marcedes said: “Times Talent is something different to get involved in. 

“I had pals sending me the link and telling me to get involved. I thought ‘why not?’ and put my video in. 

“It’s nice to be able to get out there and do something different, especially in lockdown. 

“I haven’t been able to perform or sing for anybody in a long time, so it gives me the opportunity increase my confidence again.”