ESSEX is not the first place you would think of finding country music in.

But singer Nicole Silva is looking to change all that with her budding singing career which will see her launch her debut single and video later this month.

Things are looking decidedly bright for Nicole, who has a two-year-old daughter, now but she admits to having faced difficult times in the recent past which have made her even more determined to success now.

Nicole, 35, says she developed a passion for country music during visits to her grandmother as a child.

She explains: “Singing is something I have always been really passionate about. I always remember Sunday afternoons at my nan’s listening to BBC Essex’s country music show and singing into my hairbrush to Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette.  "There was just something about the music and the lyrics I fell in love with and it never left me.”

But despite her passion for country music, confidence prevented Nicole from pursuing her chosen career and she only followed through with her dreams a couple of years ago.  After studying at Colne Community College in Brightlingsea, Nicole trained to become a professional dancer and worked as a backing dancer for music artists and DJs.  During her career she performed at The Clothes Show, Top of the Pops and the National Television Awards in 2015.  In the same year Nicole starred as Tammy in film, Rise of the Footsoldier II, a story based on the Rettendon Murders in 1995.  The film scooped the award for Best British Film at the National Film Awards in 2015.

Nicole explains: "And what was quite weird was when I got the part my mum told me I had actually lived next door to Mickey Steele, who was one of the men convicted of the murders, when I was little and we lived in Great Bentley.

"I had never realised until then."

It wasn’t until the arrival of her daughter, Penny, that Nicole realised she wanted to show her daughter the importance of following your dreams.  "Up until that point I had been managing to earn enough money to get by, going for auditions in between working part-time jobs so I could keep going.

"I was getting enough work but when I found out I was expecting a baby I had to leave the place I was renting as I was not allowed to have a baby in there because it was shared accommodation.

"It led to a pretty frightening time because I was essentially homeless six weeks before my daughter was born.  "I ended up sleeping on my mum's floor," she admits.

Nicole has a hugely positive approach to life but she admits the uncertainty around where she would live when her baby was born led to post natal depression following the birth of baby Penny.

"I don't see the point of worrying as it doesn't solve things so I just got on with things and I found a place to live in and just started to sort things out from there."

She quickly found somewhere for them to live and set about getting back on her feet and began recording music which she would upload to on-line sites.

Then in October Nicole, who now lives back in Great Bentley, was asked to present Europe’s only country music show, Keep it Country, on Sky TV.  The show attracts more than 10 million regular viewers and is presented with country and Irish music legend, Phil Mack.

When show producers asked Nicole if she wanted to perform on Keep it Country, she says she jumped at the chance, hoping it would lead to big things.

“I wanted to prove to Penny that no matter what life throws at you, dreams really can come true of you work hard enough, so I did it.  "It was nerve racking but I loved it, and since then the singing has really taken off.

"Presenting on there is such a good stepping stone for me," she says.

And thanks to her music being spotted on-line she was approached by top song writers including Kevin Bishop who has worked with top country band Rascal Flatt contacted her to ask if she wanted to write a song with him, "Up until now I have been singing other people's material but I am now starting to write my own, with other people just to build my confidence."

Her debut single, No Need, was written by Danish lyricist Nanna Larsen, who she again was contacted by on Song Link where she posts her music.

The video for No Need is being filmed on Clacton seafront and was recorded at Wave Break Studio in Walton-on-the-Naze.

"I'm calling on all my friends and trying to do it as simply as possible.

"It has been a real whirlwind and it doesn’t look like it’s going to calm down any time soon.  "I am really excited about Silva Penny Records and the release of my first single.  "I want to one day be able to help other people get their big break.

"It really is a dream come true and I hope it will show Penny that if you work hard enough, you can do anything you want.”

* No Need will be released on March 31 2017 and is available for download via itunes, Spotify and all major online stores.  More information about Nicole’s work can be found by visiting www.nicole-silva.com, www.facebook.com/nicsilvacountry and @nic3silva on Instagram.