ITV’s The Voice will be showcasing a talented Watford woman today as she tries to impress its judges.

Clare Cordell, 32, will belt her heart out in front of judges Anne-Marie, Will.i.am, Olly Murs and Sir Tom Jones.

We’ve put together everything you need to know about the singer and songwriter before you see her on our screens.

Who is Clare?

Proudly declaring she was “born and raised in North Watford”, Ms Cordell attended Parkgate Junior School and later Bushey Meads during her childhood.

It was at Parkgate when she was an eight-year-old where she first discovered she could sing.

Watford Observer: Clare CordellClare Cordell (Image: Clare Cordell)

She explained: “Our punishment if you were chatting in assembly was to stand up and sing a solo, so obviously I got caught chatting.

“They made me stand up and sing ‘Morning has Broken’ – the song haunts me to now.”

It was from the reactions that she realised this was something she could venture into in the future.

Outside of song writing, Clare has managed London’s Clapham Grand for a year, overseeing music, comedy nights and other shows at the venue.

Now she still helps out there on some event nights.

How did Clare get into singing?

The singer said: “It (singing) has always been something I could do really well – and I’m normally quite bad at stuff.

“So when I can do something I’m like ‘oh I’ll stick with that’.”

She admitted that as with anyone in the music industry, she had to “push and push” to find a breakthrough and build an audience.

Recalling her journey, she said that Covid was a “massive setback” for anyone trying to make it in the music industry as she could not perform live.

Watford Observer: Clare CordellClare Cordell (Image: Clare Cordell)

She said: “Especially when it came down to The Voice, I wondered what have I done for the past two years?

“But then you have to remember not many of us have done much.

“As an artist you doubt yourself on a minute-by-minute basis, so having a massive support system is so helpful.”

Clare’s music

In 2017, her debut EP No Stupid Ideas was released and then last year she released two singles.

Talking about her type of music, she said: “I’m not a sappy love song writer particularly, I like the idea of writing about female empowerment or any empowerment, bigging yourself up a little bit.

“Anyone that has a voice and not afraid to speak out, that’s what I like.”

She previously told the Watford Observer her influences were powerful vocalists like Whitney Houston or Aretha Franklin.

Now she is working on more tracks.

What made her apply to The Voice?

“I was scouted initially, I had considered it but I was always like what if it doesn’t play out?”, said the Watford singer.

She says she is happy that she went for it anyway.

Watford Observer: The Voice UK. Credit: ITVThe Voice UK. Credit: ITV (Image: ITV)

At the time she had to “jump over the hurdle of self-doubt”, and explained it “never felt real” until she was actually taken to Manchester for an audition.

What was her experience like?

While we’ll have to wait to see how Clare does, she explains that she was nervous before going on stage as she was singing “a big song”.

She said: “I was also nervous just generally, standing in front of lots of cameras. But then it got to the point where I realised I’m doing what I’m good at and just go for it.”

Clare says she has performed live in the past, but never to that scale.

“It was very surreal because you only see them on TV and never think of them as humans until you see them sat on the chairs.

“My main concern was not saying anything stupid. I think I curtsied at one point, I can’t remember – we’ll see on Saturday!”

The Voice UK will air this Saturday (September 17) on ITV at 8.30pm.