Jade brings country charm to festival

Jade Helliwell has been given the opening slot on the Saturday of this year’s Bingley Music Live.

Jade, 22, will kick off the festivities on the Second Stage, joining a line-up that includes Chris Helme, Electric Swing Circus and The Struts.

Saturday’s main stage line-up sees Primal Scream topping the bill, following performances from Tinchy Stryder and The Fratellis.

Jade won her spot at the event in Myrtle Park after entering Bingley Music Lives’s Emerging Talent Competition.

She was selected from around 100 entrants to take part in a final at Keighley’s Victoria Hall in May, and bagged one of the four opening slots on offer after impressing the judges.

The gig will be Jade’s biggest festival performance to date.

“I’m not nervous, more excited really,” she said.

“I’m going to be performing with a full backing band and I normally perform acoustic.

“It will be nice to hear my own songs with a full backing band.”

The young songwriter said she liked to tell stories with her songs, like one of her idols, Taylor Swift.

She said: “I think of a character and write about love and heartbreak and parts of life.”

Jade grew up listening to country greats including Dolly Parton and Patsy Cline and began performing aged 11.

Bingley Music Live takes place from Friday August 30 to Sunday September 1 at Bingley’s Myrtle Park.

Weekend tickets cost £49.50 (children £33) and take tickets cost from £19.25 to £33.

To book, visit bingleymusiclive.com.