Welcome to the Hertford blog.

Every town has it’s main characters, by that I mean the ones everyone knows about, the ones who are successful, the ones who’ve made it.  Hertford has had its fair share of these characters throughout history, and it’s about to have one more added to it.

Lyndsey Ollard, a Hertford girl who attended The Sele School is a singer songwriter about to break into the big time.  On new years eve this year she’ll be in Sydney Australia to perform in what’s being dubbed the greatest new years eve party in the world!  Supporting huge names such as Jamiroquai, The Pet Shop Boys and The Culture Club Lyndsey is one of the top 5 acts to play in the Glebe Island Concert.

But where has she been all this time?  Why isn’t she playing on our radios?  Well.....lets take a look at Lyndsey’s life up until the greatest gig of her life!

Cast your mind back to 1996/7, England had enjoyed a relatively successful European Championships, Tony Blair was making waves on the political scene and Dolly the sheep was born.  Making waves in Hertfordshire though was the new girl group sensation to take on the Spice Girls....Blush.  Comprising of local girls from Hertfordshire Blush were put together to entertain the market and part of the group was 16 year old Lyndsey Ollard from Hertford.

Blush never really took off in the way intended and Lyndsey left the group shortly after joining because she felt her identity as a professional performer had been lost because she had no control over the material performed by the group.  As well as dealing with personal matters in her life such as her parents divorce, Lyndsey really struggled with the ongoing toll that a restrictive girl group meant, so she left.  She was replaced following her exit, and Blush separated not long after that.  

“That was a dark time in my life.  I learnt a lot about the industry following Blush, it’s cut throat and restrictive to real talent. For me singing is really personal because it’s a way of channelling deep emotions and life experiences.  When you're singing a song that you don't feel connected to it shows in your performance where as when you sing a song that means something people can feel it... thats why we love music....  But what I really struggled with was the divorce of my parents, one thing led to another, I tried to continue on in the music industry, gigging where I could and making connections, but just found constant criticism from what seemed like every angle.  When you’re that age taking criticism on board is tough.  That’s why the X Factor is so un-sympathetic to these artists.  One minute you’re the next big thing, the next you’re shot down in flames by people who don’t have your tastes in music, regardless of your talent.”

Having another brush with the big time in 2001, Lyndsey went for live auditions to replace Kim Marsh in the Pop Idol winning group, Hear Say which was televised on ITV2.  

“I made the last 8 for that audition and was gutted not to get further, but hindsight is a wonderful thing and looking at where Hear Say ended up, not getting in was probably the best thing to happen.”

Glad to have the friends she made at The Sele School, Lyndsey decided that the music industry wasn’t for her and continued with life in Hertford, going out and having a good time like anyone else her age.

“I just decided that this wasn’t what I wanted to do.  Making a name for yourself means that you’ve got to have really thick skin.  I just wanted to please everybody I could, but realised I couldn’t.  Instead of continuing with the music regardless of what people thought, I just wanted to lead a normal life and be with my friends, who were all so key in getting me where I am today.”

Already having led what many people would deem an exciting life, Lyndsey’s path gets much more exciting  as she makes the move to Australia.

Find out more in the next part of this blog series soon!