A Teesside woman managed to live out her lifelong dream of meeting her pop idols, despite a malfunction with her car which saw the vehicle go up in flames.
JLS fan Hollie McDonald, 22 from Guisborough was able to live out every superfan dream, by being picked to go on stage with JLS at the band's Hits Tour at Newcastle Utilita Arena after a turbulent week with a car fire.
A frightening start to the week saw her Mini Cooper up in flames during an unexplained malfunction, and Hollie was left in desperate need of a miracle to turn it around.
Whilst driving on the A19, Hollie’s engine light flashed on, and within 5 minutes of leaving her car, it was up in flames. Luckily no one was hurt.
Hollie credits her experience at the JLS Concert with helping her forget about her stressful week.
Halfway through the energetic set list at Newcastle Utilita Arena, four lucky fans were chosen to be serenaded by the band on stage during their I Know What She Likes performance. Hollie was chosen from the audience to sit in a chair whilst the famous four sang and danced around her.
Being seated close enough to the stage to be picked to go on stage was something Hollie had considered even when purchasing tickets to the concert.
Hollie explained, “I had left my dad in charge of getting tickets as I was at work, he had strict instructions on where to sit and he was definitely under pressure to get good seats”.
“I had seen other people go up at other venues of the tour and discussed with my friends how to try to get chosen, I just manifested hard, pictured myself up on the stage and hoped it would be me and luckily it was.”
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“I had a feeling it could be me, but I didn’t think I’d be close enough to the stage.”
Hollie’s excitement was evident at the show, she could be seen jumping up from her seat and hugging the band.
“I didn’t really have time to say anything much to the band, every time one of them hugged me I said thank you “
Hollie has been a dedicated fan since she was only 7 years old before the band was even named JLS. Hollie said, ‘I’d already heard of the band as ‘UFO’ and already liked their music, but I really became a fan when the band appeared on the X Factor”.
In 2010 when Hollie was 9 years old, she attended her first JLS concert as part of their Theatre tour, a show which she hails as one of her fondest memories.
“From being such a young fan to having that experience on stage, I can’t even put into words, how good it felt.”
After having such a fantastic experience in Newcastle Hollie has already booked tickets to see JLS next July at the Scarborough Open Air Theatre and has bought herself a new car.
JLS performed at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on November 4 You can read our review of the show here.
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