Singing museum worker is aiming for the stars

By day she is immersed in a Victorian world of flat caps, trams and traditional fish and chips.

But millions of people will soon see Black Country Museum worker Lindsey Butler in a very different guise, when she takes to the stage on hit new television talent show The Voice.

The 41-year-old is attempting to realise her lifelong dream of becoming a professional singer and will be seen on the show next week trying to win over judges including Tom Jones and Jessie J.

The mother-of-two, who has worked at the attraction for a year, first got into singing aged 10, and loved to perform in shows while at All Saints Primary School in West Bromwich.

Her passion continued during her studies at Churchfield High School in West Bromwich and she even recorded two albums in 1999 and 2000. She has also performed at several venues in the Midlands, including Jools Holland's Jam House in Birmingham.

But she decided to put her dream on hold around 12 years ago to look after daughter Abbey, who is now 16. It was only when she spotted an advert for The Voice, the BBC show aiming to be as big – or bigger – than X Factor and Britain's Got Talent, on TV.

It aims to find singers based on their voice alone – and not their image – with the judges having their backs to the hopefuls while they audition for the first time. If the judges decide they want to work with the contestant, they spin their chairs round.

Lindsey, who also has a son William, aged four, said: "I always loved singing and always will, but I decided to put it on hold to look after my children.

"Music is an absolute love and a passion, but I decided I should be at home with them. But when I saw the advert, I just had to go for it."

Lindsay, who has a country-style voice, was selected for an audition, and filmed her scenes in January in London. She said she tried hard to stay calm while performing in front of music's biggest stars, including Will.I.Am from the Black Eyed Peas and The Script's Danny O'Donoghue.

"It seemed like miles to walk from the stage door to the microphone and it seemed to take an age. I had high heels on as well, and the floor looked really slippy, so I was also really worried about falling. But I made it, and I just sang."

Her performance will be shown next Saturday, April 14 – but Lindsey, who lives on Black Lake, is keeping tight-lipped about whether she gets through.

Its a far cry from her day job as a team leader at the museum.

She said: "I love my job, I lead a group of ten ladies who do the demonstrations in the cottages, I also sometimes have to be duty manager and run the site.

"It's always good fun and everyone is very friendly."