A 15-YEAR-OLD singer from Bournemouth who has had airtime on BBC radio is to release a new single on Monday.

Hannah Birtwell attended The Jingle Bell House preschool on Castle Lane West before moving to Norfolk where she now goes to school at Wymondham College.

Hannah, who currently being supported by BBC Introducing in Norfolk and The Norfolk Music hub, is to release her new single, Forget, a sing about losing love and struggling to move on, across all streaming platforms on Monday October 26.

She said: “I’ve been singing since I was little. I learnt lots of different singing rhymes that I would sing at home. Then I always sang around the house and my room. I started writing when I was 13 and have written about 13 songs so far.

“It is really exciting, and I feel honoured and pleased when I hear my music play on BBC Introducing.”

The finalist for last year’s Open Mic UK was meant to be in America this year at a song writing camp and also attending an award ceremony as a nominee for young artist of the year along with another important meeting. This has all been carried forward to next year due to Covid-19.

Having released a Christmas song last year which she has re-recorded again this year, Hannah will be recording a Christmas video to go with it ready for next month.

Hannah says that while she, like many others across the country, struggled during lockdown, it has allowed her to work on new projects with artists across the world thanks to social media.

She added: “I found lockdown really hard. I am quite a social person and enjoy being with my friends. Not being able to meet with them was not fun for me.

“I did have online lessons, but I found these difficult to concentrate on. It is not a style of learning that suits me.

“To keep me busy I did some collaboration with other artists and have written a progressive house track, not my usual style, with an artist in India.”