FROM Elvis to Ed Sheeran, reggae to rock, and classical to country – teenage performer Lucy Smith loves music.

And now the Southampton schoolgirl is looking forward to a bright future, along with her band R3D, after being booked to appear at festivals all over the south coast.

“I started singing on my own at open mic nights when I was about 12,” says the 15-year-old, who made the finals of the UK’s TeenStar contest last summer and won a day in a recording studio.

“And then the band just sort of grew. 

“We played our first gig with three of us on Christmas Eve without ever having practised together.”

R3D, which was named after Lucy’s striking red hair, has already played at Windsor Racecourse, Netley Marsh Steam and Craft Show, and The Joiners, and are set to appear at Rockley Fest, Southampton Maritime Festival, and Cornwall Folk Festival.

The band play cover versions of songs from any genre – from the 50s up until present day – and now has five members. They comprise of Lucy, 14-year-old Charlie Carter, Mike Vaughan, 37, and 16-year-old Lewis Jones and his dad, Colin, 52.

Lucy, who is deputy head girl at her school – New Forest Academy, thinks she has her family to thank for her varied tastes.

“I’ve always been around music,” she says. 

“I love Patsy Cline and the Beatles. And I really like Amy Winehouse and The Cure. But I like more modern stuff too.

“As a band, we like to put our own mark on anything we do. So we may do a pop song but add a ska or reggae twist. One of my favourite songs is Culture Club’s Do You Really Want to Hurt Me, so we’ve just started doing that too.”

The teenager’s artistic streak doesn’t just lie with music. She also loves to draw:

“I love being on stage and music. But, I find with my art – it’s just me on my own, and that’s really relaxing.”

R3D are set to be busy over the coming months, with three weddings and various pub bookings.

And, along with their festival performances, Lucy is booked to sing live on Radio Solent.

“I do lots of gigs with my grandad, Geoff Brammer, too. He is a big inspiration to me,” she explains.

“And, as well as all the stuff with the band – I still do some bits on my own.

“I have just been booked to sing a bride down the aisle for one of the weddings. 

“I just love performing. 

“And although I sang at the O2 when I was in the finals for TeenStar – my favourite venue is The Brook. I love playing there.

“I’m pretty much booked up until November, so it’s starting to go really well. I love gigging, and in the future if I can make a living out of it . . . I will be happy.”