Burns survivor releases charity single (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Charity ambassador Adele Pope sings solo

2:50pm Monday 5th December 2011 in News By Zoe Forsey

Adele Pope: sings True Colours.

A burns survivor from Wheathampstead is releasing a charity single to raise money and awareness for people with body disfigurements.

Adele Pope, 21, has joined forced with Eden Voices, a singing group from London, to record their rendition of Billy Steinberg’s True Colours for The Katie Piper Foundation.

After appearing on a Channel 4 documentary, Katie: My Beautiful Friends, Adele was made an ambassador for the charity, which supports people with scars and burns.

The former performing arts school pupil said: “Each burns victim has their own hurdles to go through before they can feel normal again.

“A really big gesture of support, like downloading the song, might convince them that people don’t see them in a negative light."

One of the young star’s former teachers, Jai Ramage, approached Adele with the idea of a charity single after watching the documentary.

Eden Voices features some of the country’s best female singers, including opera stars and performers from some of the top West End shows including Wicked and Chicago.

Adele expected to be singing as part of a large chorus during the recording, and was shocked when she learnt she would have the leading vocal.

She said: “All the women have incredible voices and some of them are on the West End which is something I aspire to do which is why I was so surprised when they said I was singing the solo."

The young performer had always dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer, but everything changed after a devastating accident left her with severe scarring on her arms and back.

Five years ago Adele suffered an epileptic fit in the shower, during which she knocked the tap and collapsed under the hot water.

She said: “After my accident, realistically I had to think what I would do if no one would let me on the stage.”

Adele spent a lot of her recovery time trapped inside watching nature documentaries, and decided this could lead to a possible alternative career.

She is now in the third year of an natural sciences degree at Durham University, and despite the initial fears of not being accepted in a new city, says she is having a fantastic time.

The Katie Piper Foundation was set up by a former model whose life was thrown upside down when a stranger threw acid in her face.

Adele has become close friends with Katie and other burns victims since filming the documentary, which was aired in March.

She said: “The moment Katie heard the single for the first time she rang me straight away and said she loved it - she has been so supportive.

“My experience has been such a big part of my life so I want to speak about it a lot.

“I can talk about it just as a part of my life without it being a tragic story."

True Colours is available to download from iTunes now.