Living a dream

It's never easy to leave your home country when you are only 17, but Amy Pearson was ready to go anywhere to fulfil her dream of being a singer.

Pearson grew up in Birmingham and never had a doubt as to what she wanted to do with her life. She began to sing when she was three years old, wrote her first song at six and made her first demo at 13.

'When I was young, I would work for five days and be in the studio for two. During those times, I would travel to London and do shows, hoping to get spotted,' the 22-year-old recalls.

While working at a production company in 2003, Pearson came to the attention of Gary Barlow - singer and songwriter of pop group Take That. He introduced her to the music industry and Pearson moved to Australia.

Pearson says when she was offered the record deal, the only thing she thought of was becoming a singer. 'Yes, I'll be there, whatever it takes.'

Pearson's debut album, Who I Am, is a soulful personal diary of her journey into womanhood and her travels around the world.