Pop star Pixie Lott is helping youngsters follow in her footsteps by setting up a stage school in Chelmsford.
The 23-year-old number one selling artist is to form an Italia Conti associate school, along with her sister Charlie-Ann and mother Beverley
The Pixie Lott Italia Conti theatre school, for youngsters aged three and up, will open at Boswells School in Chelmsford in January 2015.
The school, which will run on Saturdays, has direct links to the famous London performing arts college where Pixie attended from the age of 11, after attending Saturday schools from the age of five.
Pixie, who is one of the favourites to win this BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing, will help take classes as much as she can.
Pixie, who performed her latest single "Break Up Song" which is released last weekend, said she was excited to see the range of talent coming through the doors next year at the open day held at Boswells School.
She said: "Italia Conti is the school I grew up in.
"I went to Saturday classes from the age of five doing acting. I took more classes at 10 that took me to the main school which took me all the way through.
"Just from first-hand experience it gave me the best foundation. I made friends there and it help build my self-confidence and I really loved it and was really passionate about it.
"I always wanted to music and singing but I also really enjoyed the dancing and acting
"I always thought that the most rounded you can be the better and then I just loved it and wanted to go to main school.
"I could only go there if I got a scholarship and you could only get a scholarship if you went to the Saturday school and so that was a stepping stone."
The school has been set up to give youngsters a chance to reach for their own dreams in theatre and music, and Pixie is looking forward to help nurture when lessons start in January.
She added: "It is really inspiring to meet young talent and even today it was great to hear some of them sing and it is great that I am going to be able to meet lots of them in January and see how they progress and see if there any future stars."
