When singer Sarah Stone appeared on The Voice, she had a tragic story to tell.
The artist’s mother, Linda Anne Grimstone, disappeared without a trace when she was just six years old.
Her family has never learnt the truth about what happened to her.
Sarah, 23, admits that she found it overwhelming to share her story so publicly.
However, the strongly positive reaction from viewers had a surprising side-effect – a huge boost of confidence in her ability.
“It really opened me up,” she tells TV WEEK. “It made me a completely different person.
“Just putting myself out there and being more vulnerable has come through in my performances from week to week.
“I’m growing and I’m starting to believe in myself. And my confidence is starting to come in.”
Helping with that new-found confidence is her video-producer boyfriend of 18 months, Stefan.
He had never seen his girlfriend perform live until the show began – before they started dating, she quit her job to focus on her YouTube videos.
“He came with his family for the first live show,” she explains.
“They were thrilled to see me do what I do – it was really emotional.”
Sarah is smitten with boyfriend Stefan. Credit: sarahstonemusic
With a career as a performer now her dream, Sarah says if she succeeds she knows she may have to be away from home more often.
But the couple will tackle it together.
“Stefan’s just the best boyfriend in the world with this situation,” she says.
“It’s a lot for him, as well as my family, and they’ve all just taken it in their stride.”
