Becky Jenner's pop dream turned into a nightmare when her voluptuous curves led to repeated rejections at auditions.

The humiliation reached its peak when Becky was rejected by SClub7 for being too big - but she got her own back by getting into shape and renewing her self-esteem.

Becky had always dreamed of being a massive pop star with a jet-setting lifestyle and a dozen appearances on Top Of The Pops under her glitzy studded belt.

But she never realised just how massive she would seem in the eyes of the agents and record company insiders who created pop stars' careers.

The singer weighed 14st when she started looking for her big break in the pop world.

At 5ft 8in she was hardly obese but the extra pounds seemed to make all the difference.

Three years ago, at the age of 21, Becky narrowly missed out on what could have been the biggest break of her life - all because of her generous curves.

She had travelled to London to audition for a new band with seven members: three boys and four girls.

Becky went frequently to audition for bands and shows but she had a feeling this one was going to be big.

Becky, who lives in Worthing, said: "I would go to all these auditions and every time I would be surrounded by girls who were skinny dancer-types with size eight bodies.

"Often, I would be the best singer there but it didn't seem to make any difference. Even though I knew I was a good singer, the whole thing was starting to really knock my self-confidence.

"I would sometimes come home crying because the auditions were so horrible. Once I went with a friend who was quite big too and they said, 'Don't even bother singing, love, you're not what we're looking for'.

"I was determined to keep trying. I have never wanted to do anything else."

But the audition for SClub7 was the last straw. When Becky faced the panel and sang, she knew that however powerfully she belted out the number they would never choose her.

"I could never imagine a girl who was anything more than a size ten being in a band like SClub7. It just wouldn't happen. I knew that all along really but it was that audition which really brought it home to me."

After that, Becky vowed she would become famous on her own terms. She would no longer be judged purely on her looks and would only go for jobs that showed off her fantastic voice.

Before she could set out on her new path to pop stardom, Becky had to regain her self-confidence.

She knew she would never be a size eight but she vowed to get fit, eat healthily and avoid the comfort eating that had been her refuge in those dark days of humiliating auditions.

She said: "Until I turned 14, I was really skinny. It was mainly because I was so active. I had dance lessons and I ran for my school, Downsbrook Middle School, but by the time I turned 15, I thought I had better things to do and I gave it all up.

"The weight just crept up then without me noticing. I wasn't unattractive when I was fatter. I wasn't even that fat but I knew I would feel happier if I was fitter, healthier and lost some weight."

Within a few weeks, Becky managed to lose some of her excess. Three years later, she is a healthy, stable size 12.

Although she hasn't hit the big time yet, Becky has lost none of her determination.

She said she would probably still be considered too 'fat' to get into a band like SClub7 but she did not even care any more.

Now Becky is in two bands and has toured with the massive Japanese star Yaiko, performing in front of audiences of 10,000 throughout Japan.

"In one of my bands I have to wear catsuits and tiny hot pants, so even now I wouldn't get very far if I was really big. Nowadays I choose what I want to do and what I wear. I don't have to do things on their terms anymore.

"That side of the pop business is much more interested in what someone looks like than in how good a singer they are. There are lots of ways to mask a bad voice but you can't mask someone's looks.

"I'm glad I never got into SClub7. I never liked that attitude and now I feel like I had a lucky escape.

"I don't think I would have been happy doing that kind of music and I would have been forced to be something I wasn't.

"You are not your own person in a band like that, you are part of a money-making machine. I would much rather be doing what I'm doing now."

Becky's bands, Las Vegas Disco All-Stars and E2, are available for corporate functions and other bookings. To contact Becky, email her on treacle @becky3.freeserve.co.uk