SINGER Emily Gardner has participated in the Schools Spectacular every year for seven years, but her eighth and last appearance will be extra special.
The Hunter School of the Performing Arts student, 18, has been selected as a featured artist and will be one of the first and last people on stage at the four shows, which are being held on November 25 and 26 at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.
"I'm so excited to be part of the Schools Spectacular for pretty much the first time as a featured artist," she said.
"I'm opening the show with Into the Unknown and closing the show with Believe so being the first person on stage is just going to be incredible. To see all of the audience and all of the faces of the dancers is going to be amazing."
Emily joined the showcase aged 10 as part of the NSW Public Schools Junior Singers treble voiced choir.
She was selected as a featured artist in the Schools Spectacular Inspired online project last year, when COVID-19 prevented the show being staged in an arena.
Instead she appeared in a video filmed at Taronga Zoo.
"There is a lot of pressure opening and closing the show but it is more exciting because you get to see all of the audience, they roar when you're finished and they're so excited for you to be there and be on the stage," she said.
"Everyone is happy for you to be there, everyone is there supporting you, we've got amazing teachers and mentors that are supporting us.
"It gets easier over the course of the rehearsals."
Emily has received an early offer to study business and commerce at the University of Newcastle next year and will continue taking singing lessons with Charmaine Gibbs and recording her EP at Tommirock Studios.
Emily considers Adele, Bruno Mars, Pink and Jessie J as inspirations.
"I love telling the story of a song," she said.
"You perform your heart out and go numb, it's amazing."
She has released two songs on streaming services under the name Emily Kate.
