Scots woman's 'surreal' experience on TV show The Piano after being spotted on TikTok

A Scots woman has told of the 'surreal' experience of appearing on Channel 4 television show The Piano, after producers spotter her talent on TikTok.

Nicole Baird from East Lothian performed on camera in front of a large crowd at Edinburgh Waverley station after she was scouted for the hit show back in January, Edinburgh Live reports.

The 21-year-old started playing the piano at eight. Then at just 16 she went onto become a teacher at a music school in Musselburgh where she was her tutor's first student.

Recalling the nerve-wracking moment she performed in front of the TV cameras she said it was "completely surreal".

She said: "Back in January I got a message through my TikTok account to see if I was interested and that's how it came about really, I didn't know much about the show at that time.

"After that I had a phone call, sent some videos over and it all happened within three or four weeks. I found out by the end of the month and it was all very exciting. I had never done anything like that before, it felt so surreal but so nerve-racking.

The Piano returned for a second series with Claudia Winkleman as the host and Mika and Lang Lang as the judges.

Nicole played and sang Murder on The Dancefloor by Sophie Ellis-Bextor in front of a large crowd at the busy train station with her family members also watching on with her performance being aired on Sunday night, May 12.

She said: "In the moment, I couldn't believe it was happening. I had family members who were watching at the time and it was really to see how it all came together and nice to watch it knowing exactly what I was thinking in the moment. Claudia was so nice as well, she made you feel so welcome.

"I have been playing since I was eight years old. My gran looked after people and their houses too so I would go along with her after school.

"One of the people she looked after owned a music school in Musselburgh and I ended up getting lessons off of their daughter and I was her first student. I now teach at that school and started when I was 16."

Also taking part in Sunday night's episode was Daria Golovchenko, a Ukrainian refugee who fled to Edinburgh with her daughter. She has now made it to the final of The Piano following her emotional performance.

She impressed judges, commuters and locals with her performance at Waverley Station in Edinburgh. After settling in the capital, she explained that playing the piano made her "feel strong again".

She started playing the piano when she was five years old, and is now set to perform at a concert in Manchester where the winner of the series will then be chosen.

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