Woman from Hangleton who auditioned for X Factor launches own choir

Scarlett Quinn grew up in Brighton but now lives in Hangleton. She first featured in The Argus back in 1998 when, aged 12, she was picked from nearly 2000 hopefuls to be the star presenter of The Disney Channel’s Kids Award show.

Scarlett first featured in The Argus in 1998 aged 12 (Image: The Argus) In 2014, Scarlett and her then husband Ash auditioned for X Factor as a duo called The Kitten and The Hip.

While judges Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole, Louis Walsh and Mel B saw promise in Scarlett, they were less impressed by husband Ash and did not see a future for the married duo on the show.

The former Dorothy Stringer pupil did not hesitate to take up the opportunity to go it alone, a move which took judges aback. “Well that didn’t take long”, laughed Simon. “Normally you wait a couple of seconds.”

Scarlett said she feels “mortified” looking at her original audition.

She said: “When anyone says they’ve seen it I think - oh god no.

“I’m no longer with Ash – that whole process put a strain on us. Ash was genuinely upset. It wasn’t edited – I really did say yes that quickly. It didn’t come across well and it was a shame for him.”

Scarlett performed a powerful rendition of Christina Aguilera's Aint No Other Man at bootcamp (Image: X Factor/ITV) Next Scarlett went on to the arena audition where she performed a rendition of Christina Aguilera's Aint No Other Man.

At bootcamp, things did not go to plan as Scarlett forgot the lyrics to Duran Duran’s Ordinary World, which put paid to her time on the show.

Scarlett said: “I just had a mental block. I should have offered to sing a different song, but I was under so much stress, I was ready to go home. When I got home, I had regrets.

“I was all over the place at the time – a hot mess. That’s what Simon liked about me.

“I was in the same group as Fleur East, we were both in the Over 25s but she had complete dedication and was so focussed and professional.”

Scarlett said she later “cleaned up my act” and auditioned again the next year.

She said: “I went to the gym, got rid of my wig and stopped the partying but when I went back Simon thought I was boring.”

Scarlett, 38, is now a single mum to three children.

She said: "I think about all the women centuries before me cracking on for their children and that’s where the choir has come from.

“I wanted to do something for myself but also wanted to give something back to the community that has been so kind to me.”

Scarlett, now 38, is a single mum to three children (Image: Supplied) Her new choir, Hangleton Harmonies, will take place every Thursday, starting on January 9 at St Richard’s on Egmont Road. The choir will perform “hit records” from over the years, beginning with Lean On Me and Islands in The Stream.

She said: “It’s a bit of me but without the focus on me. I’ll be bringing my experience and injecting some of that.”