FOR a second time in four years Thurrock will have the chance on Saturday to vote for a local girl in the final of ITV's 'The Voice UK'.

In 2018 the competition was won by Stanford-le-Hope's Ruti Olajugbagbe, who was Sir Tom Jones' pick. After winning the series, her winner's single "Dreams", a cover of the Cranberries song, reached number 1 on the UK iTunes Store, and debuted at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart.

Though her recording contract with Polydor has ended, Ruti is continuing to grow her musical career and stature in the industry.

Hoping to follow her by winning the public vote in this Saturday's (20 March) show is 18-year-old Grace Holden from South Ockendon, whose progress through this year's competition has been a roller coaster of emotion.

In the build-up to her initial blind audition Grace, who attended South Essex College, told how she had lost her mum, Shirley, to cancer five years ago.

"My mum encouraged me to sing anywhere she could and it gave me that confidence," she said.

Her dad, Daryl, who watched on from the sidelines with her older brothers Joe and Max, added: "The woman was amazing. It's very hard knowing that she should be here and she isn't."

Grace's powerful performance of The Calling's 'Wherever You Will Go' got judge Olly Murs to turn, securing herself a place on his team.

The Essex star, who also found fame and fortune by appearing on a TV talent show, finishing second in the sixth series of The X Factor in 2009, was clearly caught up in the emotional performance by Grace and was urged to select her by international recording star Anne Marie – one of the other judges who is herself a Thurrock girl from East Tilbury who attended St Clere's School in Stanford-le-Hope!

Speaking to Olly about the song choice, after being picked Grace said: "I connect to it quite a lot, emotionally. I just thought I'd be able to get it across to you... and I did."

Olly said: "It was meant to be! You just connected with me. There was something about that performance that made me press that button. It started a bit slow but the layers just kept coming.

"When you hit those high notes at the end I had to turn."

The second round of the competition saw Grace pitted in the battle round' singing alongside another of Olly's picks, Chantelle Padden, in a duet of Kelly Clarkson's 'Breakaway'. With her Dad cheering on from the crowd, Grace sang her heart out and took her place in the semi-finals after Olly said he felt he could 'coach her more' and 'get more out of' Grace.

Grace, who divides her time between working as a shop assistant, while also operating as a part-time theatre school teacher, was tasked with singing Avril Lavigne's 'I'm With You' in the semi-final. It's a huge track with some big notes but Grace held her own to deliver a perfect version of the song and, after a public vote, her talent got her through to Saturday's final which will be shown at at 8.30pm.

That talent, honed through a lifetime of singing at home in a musical household, didn't go unnoticed during Grace's years at the Southend campus of South Essex College where she graduated in June last year with a distinction on the UAL Level Three Extended Diploma in Performing and Production Arts.

Musical theatre course team leader Richard Hooper, says Grace's success on The Voice is 'well-deserved' and added everyone was 'extremely proud of her.'

He said: "Even from the day she auditioned, it was clear that Grace had a stunning voice but she always strived to make it even better and develop her performance skills. This element of her course is what Olly Murs comments on regarding her ability to connect emotionally.

"Grace was an extremely hardworking student but was also great fun to have in a class. She always had a really positive outlook which helped her to develop her confidence levels to what we have seen on TV.

"Even through the struggles of this past year, she has been determined to succeed in her endeavour. Who knows where this will lead?

"Hopefully she will dip her toe into the world of musical theatre alongside a pop career. Needless to say we wish Grace all the luck in the world."

On Saturday Grace will be up against judge Will.i.am's pick James Okulaja, who is also 18. Known simply as Okulaja, the former head boy at Gillingham's Rainham Mark Grammar School had been eliminated from the competition, but after fellow contestant Janel Anthoneshia withdrew from the show, he was asked to return and has certainly made the most of his reprieve.

Sir Tom's final representative is 38-year-old mum of one Hannah Williams from Winchester who has already worked tirelessly to obtain the most impressive singing credentials of all the remaining contestants, as her vocals feature on a track by Hip Hop icon Jay-Z.

A full-time vocal coach, she says Saturday's show may be her last chance to get a real foothold in the music industry and become a recording artist.

Anne-Marie's hopes of being the winning coach in her first series depend on 23-year-old Craig Eddie.

Born and raised in the Scottish town of Falkirk, Eddie has always harboured dreams of becoming a signing success – and bookmakers have the Scotsman pinned as favourite.