RISING star from Ringwood is battling for a place in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 and is counting on your votes.

Singer-songwriter Jodie Elms has written and recorded When the Sun goes Down with lead guitarist Ace from Skunk Anansie.

Now the “serious rock ballad”

has been given the Eurovision treatment and transformed into a cheery pop song by Sound Boutique, featuring Jodie, and nominated as an entry for Switzerland in the kitsch competition.

“Life is too short and if it gets chosen it will be a good laugh,”

said Jodie, who performed in the Live 8 concert in Paris in 2005.

“What is funny is that this is quite a serious song that I wrote with Ace and now it sounds quite different.

“I am so pleased to have reached this far, but if we get through it will be even better.

“The thing about this business is that you have soaring highs and then sometimes things go quiet. My writing ties everything together.”

Jodie, who was born in Burley and went to Ringwood School, started singing at the age of nine, but it was when she was 16 and employed as a nanny for two children in Colorado that she discovered her talent for song writing.

“I was living on a mountain for nine months with just a baby and a piano with nothing much to do.

I just sat at the piano and wrote songs and then I used all of my earnings to record them.”

When Jodie returned to the UK she studied contemporary vocals and music at Guildford. She was soon spotted by a number of dance record producers.

Jodie became a session singer and featured on Dr Kucho’s dance anthem It’s All About You, which reached Number 1 in Italy.

However, inspired by Kate Bush, David Bowie and Alanis Morissette, Jodie wants to concentrate on creating her own work.

She said: “What is wonderful about being nominated for Eurovision is that I wrote the song and I am not just singing someone else’s words. I love singing my own work because it feels like I am baring my soul rather than acting.”

She added: “If I get enough votes I could go through to represent Switzerland. But I need your votes.”

If Jodie gets through she could be competing against the former X-Factor twins Jedward, who are believed to be representing Ireland for a second time in 2012.

The Eurovision Song Contest first started in 1956 and it is estimated that 400 million viewers tune in every year to watch the best and the worst of Euro culture.

To vote for Sound Boutique featuring Jodie Elms, go to eurovisionplattform.sf.tv.