PULSE - music and more, with Paul Barry

WANNABE pop star Ayesha Keighley hopes she will have the last laugh after being made to look a fool on national television as she tries to get her pop career off to a flying start.

But the East Lancashire lass, who shot to fame on fly-on-the-wall documentary Airline, says she may have to drop her Tyke-tinged surname if she wants to make it big.

The 18-year-old office worker said: "When people think of the name Keighley, they often think of the town in Yorkshire, and it's not the most romantic place in the world. I'm just going to call myself Ayesha."

Ayesha, of Great Harwood, is still smarting from being "set up" by the makers of the ITV documentary, and from a mugging attempt in Blackburn town centre a fortnight ago.

But the teenager has bounced back after her appearance on TV attracted the interest of local recording company Charisma.

She has just finished recording her first CD at MJM Music in Church, where Blackburn band Marrakesh recorded their latest 4-track offering.

Ayesha's track Why Did You Let Me Down is an upbeat, if somewhat basic, dance tune. The blandness of the song itself won't matter too much because Ayesha's voice will be the main thing the record companies will want to take note of. But she will have a nervous time ahead of her as only time will tell whether her performance will be enough to fight off the fierce competition.

She has already taken the record to one East Lancashire company, but says she will go further afield to try to get noticed if they are not interested.

The 15 minutes of fame that Ayesha has already got under her belt means she already has to cope with notoriety in and around East Lancashire.

People have approached her in clubs, in the street and even in the supermarket canteen while having a cuppa with her boyfriend Dominic to ask if she is "that girl from the telly".

Even as Lancashire Evening Telegraph lensman Neil Johnson focused in on her in the sun-kissed grounds of Blackburn Cathedral, Ayesha's concentration was tested by the shouts and lewd suggestions of passers-by.

Ayesha said: "People seem to follow me round all the time, and I often see people pointing at me.

"It's funny sometimes how long it takes them to come over and ask me who I am.

"The programme that went out didn't do me any justice and I got a lot of stick for it. But most people wish me all the best and only one person has said something nasty. "But at the end of the day I hope I will have the last laugh because the programme got me noticed and might prove to be my big break."

New deal backs East Lancs return

BLACKBURN-based guitar group Salt of the Earth return to East Lancashire on Friday night, celebrating a new record deal.

Band spokesman Alan Parker said: "The band have now signed to a label called Ver Jam and should release a single and a new album in the coming months."

The band, whose members hail from Pendle and Rossendale, play Burnley's Plane Tree Hotel.

It's Redwood - by Thunder!

ROCK four-piece Redwood are relishing the challenge of playing to a big audience when they support Thunder at their Blackburn show tonight. Singer and bass player Alistair Cowan says: "Thunder are very traditional British rock, and although we are similar in that we are very much song-based, we are a little bit younger and our approach reflects that.

"We are looking forward to playing in front of a massive audience. We would like to be playing and touring all the time but the stuff on our album is not really Radio One stuff, so it is difficult for us to get heard."

Alistair, who shares a flat with lead guitarist Rob, says: "The rock magazines have taken notice of us, but the music papers just sit there trying to be clever.

"They don't really know what is happening out in the real world. Our fan mail comes direct to our flat, so we know people are interested."

The band, who formed in Birmingham where they won various band competitions and free studio time before moving to Surrey, are often surprised at the crowds they draw. And Alistair is excited about the band's next project, studio time with Massive Attack producer Neil Davidge.

"In some ways our music is straight rock, so this should be something a bit more experimental."

Robbie's reinvention

FORMER Take That fans will team up with a new generation of Robbie Williams enthusiasts when the man who became famous for being famous graces the stage at King George's Hall, Blackburn, this Thursday.

The 24-year-old heart throb has reinvented himself during the last year and can provide a platinum single and album and two Brit nominations - not to mention a much talked about duo with Tom Jones - as evidence of his success.

Robbie's latest offering Let Me Entertain You, his fifth and final single from Life Thru a Lens, is to provide a "raucous" opening to his East Lancashire show.

The announcement of the date caused a stampede at the Blackburn box office and the show was sold out within hours.

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