A teen singer, who was not able to speak for months when she was diagnosed with nodules on her vocal chords, will release her first five-track EP this weekend.
Nolene Spinks, 17, who won the Fresh Factor Live talent search at the Word of Faith Christian Centre last year, was able to record the EP (extended play), called Glow, thanks to the competition.
Nolene, who said she had dreamed of being a singer from the age of six, said: “I come from a very musical family.
“I got my guitar when I was four years old. I’ve never received any formal vocal training.”
Nolene’s big break came after a number of setbacks.
The youngster endured bullying from classmates as a result of her stutter and because she was always singing. Nolene said she had internalised the bullying for seven years.
“The hate devoured me from within,” she said.
But, she said, what had really helped her overcome the bullying had been speaking to a visiting pastor.
Her parents also decided to transfer her to a new school in Grade 9.
Now a Framesby High pupil, Nolene said her love for music had been fuelled by her feeling of rejection.
“Singing was [my refuge], that was the only place where I felt I belonged and no one could touch me when I was on stage.”In Grade 4, Nolene entered the Lions Eisteddfod where she sang Hero by Mariah Carey, but the experience was not a happy one.
“When I got to the high notes my voice just cut off,” she said.
“My doctor said my vocal cords were stressed and he diagnosed me with vocal nodes [nodules]. That was the beginning of a six-month period of not being allowed to speak unless I was in speech therapy.
“It was not an easy period. When I was told I had vocal nodes, I felt like my whole world was falling apart, but I miraculously recovered in three months.”
Today, Nolene is surrounded by loving friends, who welcomed her with open arms on her first day at her new school.
“We eat, pray, laugh and grow together. They and my parents know me best.”
Of the EP, Nolene said: “I’m very excited about the opportunity. However, I don’t know how my story will turn out in the future because I’m not the writer.”
Explaining the title of her EP, she said she had once heard the saying, “it’s OK to be a glow-stick because sometimes we need to break to glow”.
She said the saying stuck with her and it was a fitting title as it represented her life.
Glow is a Christian culture album with one cover song plus four written by Nolene. She will launch the EP at the Word of Faith Christian Centre on Sunday at 7pm.