FROM X Factor starlets Samantha Lavery and Abi Garrido to regional session singers Chloe Chadwick and Pip Waite, the North-East is gaining an exciting plethora of female musicians.

Sam has done brilliantly in this year’s X Factor and has earned a place in next year’s live tour which will includes the MetroRadio Arena on Friday, March 10, while Abi made the judges houses and is an ambassador for Newcastle-based, Cash for Kids.

Regional band successes includes Sarah Davies as drummer for the iconic Black Nevada, Louise Radford, Katie Barnard and Helen Hammill of Teesside trio Serinette, Sirens in the Delta and Cattle & Cane respectively plus all-girl rock band from Tyneside, Scream of Sirens, Steph Dawson, Ruth Cranston and Emma Anderson.

Serinette’s Louise Radford says: “It’s tricky for promoters putting us on line-ups though due to us being pretty alternative, I'm not sure it matters we're an all-girl line-up, maybe I’m wrong. We recorded a lot in early 2016 (including the single Bear it Alone) and gigged mainly earlier in the year. We played some great festivals and gigs out of the area after which we decided to take some time to write new material and that’s where we're at now.”

Scream of Sirens recent single Get Some showed the style and demeanour of the trio which pushed them forward and had lead vocalist Steph Dawson says: “This year has been great as we have achieved so much including releasing a single, an EP and signing a publishing deal. Being an all-girl rock band though is quite hard because you get judged before people see you play because you are all women. We quite often get people commenting on our set afterwards saying they were surprised how good we were because we were girls.”

Soloists Samantha Durnan, Chloe Chadwick, Beth Macari and Pip Waite have all enjoyed a good 12 months.

Chadwick. who performs country, folk and acoustic pop, saw her single Feels Like Home reach No 1 in the Hotdisc UK & Ireland Country Music Charts, as well as being nominated for Best Female Solo Artist at the UK Country Radio Awards.

Macari, meanwhile, is adding some glitz and glamour with a snip of funky soul to the region including releasing a new single, Voodoo earlier in the year. Sam Durnan performed at the Stockton Fireworks Display, in front of some 50,000 people, on the back of playing at Twisterella.

She says: “It was an amazing experience stepping out onto a stage in front of a 50,000 plus crowd and to be so well received. My band did me proud and the new material sounded great coming from a huge sound system. Such a great night that was so well organised. It's challenging at times though because females, especially female bands, are in the minority.

“However, like any other business, if people like what you have to offer then they will support you and my music appeals to a diverse range of people and I have been fortunate to have it played on BBC Radio so it has been well promoted.”

Peter Mann