A skilful dance act and five fine singers landed themselves places in the final of the Bristol Evening Post's Junior Search For A Star last night.

Kaisha Baldie, nine, of St George, wowed the judges with her a capella singing.

Kaisha sang Lean On Me by Bill Withers. She said: "It cheers up mum and dad and my aunties whenever they have troubles."

Kaisha, who is in Year 5 at Summerhill Junior School, won a Summerhill's Got Talent contest previously. She has been singing since she was four and wants to do it professionally.

She also sang No One by Alicia Keys.

"She's one of my favourite singers and I particularly like the tune and the words," she said.

The second winner, Jessie Carter, 12, of Grove Road, Redland, fluffed her lines, started again and knocked out the audience with her rendering of two show songs – Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again from Phantom of the Opera, and I Don't Know How to Love Him from Jesus Christ Superstar.

Jessie goes to the Bristol Old Vic's Youth Theatre and the National Musical Youth Theatre and still finds time to go to school, Red Maids' in Westbury-on-Trym.

She wants to be an actress but loves singing.

"I can let out all my emotion when I'm singing," she said.

Alisha Stephenson, 13, her sister Osheanna, nine, and friend Amantia Mehmeti, 13 – all making up dance group AOA Connection – also go through to next Sunday night's final at the Fry Club, in Keynsham.

Alisha, of Menhyr Grove, Brentry, and Amantia, of Aylminton Walk, Lawrence Weston, are both in Year 9 at Henbury School. Osheanna goes to Brentry Primary.

Alisha, who had been in Junior Search For a Star before, said they were quite nervous before going on stage, but excited.

They danced freestyle to a medley of songs, mostly of R&B or street music.

Joining them in the final will be Oliver Harper, 12, who lives in Norton Malreward, near Chew Magna.

He wants to be a professional actor and is a big fan of the James Bond films. He dreams one day of being a Bond star himself.

Oliver, who goes Chew Valley School (Year 8) and the Bristol School of Performing Arts, said: "I like all the guys who've played Bond, apart from Sean Connery. He's too old."

The musical, Billy Elliot, is Oliver's favourite show, so he chose one of his songs, Electricity, from it.

His explained his other choice – Consider Yourself, from Oliver! – saying: "It's lively and I like to consider myself a cheeky boy."

After his performance he said: "I was scared I would do it wrong. I was amazed when I didn't."

Another finalist will be Georgina Taylor 12, of Lavers Close, Kingswood. She goes to Hanham High School but also attends stage school on Saturday mornings at Red Maids' School and wants to be a singer.

Georgina sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow because "it suits my voice and I love the song". She also sang Britney Spears' cover version of I Love Rock 'n' Roll,.

Rosie Southern also earned a place in the final.

If she didn't love singing, Rosie , 13, of Westfield Road, Backwell, wouldn't have been taking part.

But her first love is horse-riding and her ambition is to be a mounted police officer.

Rosie, who goes to Backwell Comprehensive School and Ashton Song and Dance Club, at Bower Ashton, chose to sing Christina Aguilera's Reflection because, she says, "it's powerful pop and that's what I aim for in my own singing".

She also sang Mercy by soul star Duffy.

Also competing in last night's 11-act heat was Georgia Oliver, 10, of the Lovells, Easton-in-Gordano, who knows all about being on stage.

Georgia, who is in Year 6 at St Mary's C of E Primary School, in Portbury, has performed in the musical Joseph, at the Bath Theatre Royal and again at the Bristol Hippodrome.

She has also appeared in Oliver! at the Weston Playhouse.

Georgia goes to the Bristol School of Performing Arts, on Cotham Hill.

She chose Any Dream Will Do from Joseph, and Abba's I Have A Dream.

Among the first acts on stage last night were four girls from the Bath Circus Maniacs and Centre 69, in Kelston. They danced on stilts.

Paige Hayward, 13, is just under 5ft with both feet on the ground. Last night she was 7ft tall.

Paige, who wants to be a PE teacher, goes to Downend School, with sister Naomi, 11.

They were joined by sister Megan, aged six, who goes to Hillfields Primary, in Fishponds, and Charlie-Mae Crisp, of Bath, for a dance called the Cha Cha Slide.

For 13-year-old Sunita Roud of Howard Street, St George, singing is a hobby she has enjoyed since she was 10.

Sunita, a Year 9 pupil at Oldfield School, in Bath, chose to sing Alicia Keys' If I Ain't Got You and Forever by Chris Brown, because "they bring out the best in my voice".

She said she hoped to do well to prove "I can achieve things when I put my mind to them".

Nicole Davis, 10, lives in Lanesborough Rise, Stockwood, and goes to West Town Lane Primary School.

She sang Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis and Umbrella by Rihanna.

"They're both high-pitched and I can do that," she said.

Kathleen Connors, 12, of Arnall Drive, Henbury, who goes to Henbury School sang the cover version of The Zuton's Valerie made famous by Amy Whitehouse and Mr Lonely by Akon.

"I chose these songs because I know them well and I can sing them well," she said.

The final of the Bristol Evening Post competition takes place that Fry Club, Keynsham, on Sunday, November 2.