THERAPIST turned singer Miel de Botton will make her first festival performance at Camp Bestival at Lulworth Castle this weekend.

Not many people would find the strength to pursue a singing career in their forties after the break-up of a marriage, but Miel de Botton did just that.

Born in Zurich, once living in Paris and now London, the sister of philosopher Alain de Botton and divorced mother-of-two has entered the music industry later than most.

Miel took the bold step of leaving her job to pursue her singing career. The former banker’s wife said: “It was a childhood dream of mine to sing but I had never considered it as a career. It was only when I experienced heartbreak and the singing just happened, and it seemed to happen alongside all these difficult things happening, my dad died and I was looking for some sort of freedom and self expression. And then I got offered the opportunity to make music.”

Miel’s album Magnetic is a double album of French and English songs. She has just released the single Come On Baby especially for the summer.

Miel added: “I said I would like to start doing something with new arrangements that make things sound very different. I have a reggae version of Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien on the album and a bit of ska.

Miel’s star is so much on the rise that she is fast acquiring Twitter followers - but will she acquire enough to rival her brother’s 586,000 followers?

Miel will be giving two performances on Sunday July 31 at Camp Bestival. She will be performing in the Travelling Barn Stage at 4.45pm and in the Caravan Serai Tent from 6.20pm. See campbestival.net