Last but by no means least, the final heat of this year's Evening Post Search For A Star competition took place in the Fry Club in Keynsham.

There were 13 hopefuls who took to the stage last night, waiting nervously backstage and in the audience as the spring sun set over the hills.

But there were only eight winners in all, who go through to the semi-finals.

They were: Rose Southern, 14, from Backwell; Sarah Walklett, 22, from Hotwells; Sasha Brown, 21, from Downend; Lucy Curtis, 16, from Clifton; Georgie Coles, 16, from Longwell Green; Jemaine Williams, 25, from Horfield; Chloe Sherwood, 20, from Stockwood and 45-year-old Madilyn Nicholas, from Kingswood.

Of course credit should go to all the competitors who performed to such a high standard last night.

Together they gave an enthusiastic crowd a night to remember.

Organiser Deb Dyer, 43, from Barr's Court, said the standard of competition this year had rivalled any of the previous contests.

She said: "It's been excellent once again.

"We have had almost 90 applicants – most of them girls but we have had some really good boys as well.

"They have come from all over Bristol, as well as Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Dorset too.

"The stakes are high because the winner gets £1,000 and an hour in a recording studio too.

"Now we are looking forward to some really exciting semi-finals."

First and youngest of the singers was Rose, performing for the first time in the seniors' competition and hoping to add to her title as winner of last year's talent show in Backwell.

She started the night off with a rendition of songs by Adele and Beyonce and said she was really nervous on stage.

She said: "I was really worried when I went on but then the singing takes over and you forget everything.

"I'd be really chuffed to win."

Following in her shoes was Sarah, who serenaded the 150-strong audience with Kelly Clarkson's version of Beautiful Disaster before blasting her way through Marvin Gaye's classic Ain't No Mountain High Enough.

She said: "I'm relieved to have gone through because I messed up one of my songs and I'm really pleased to be in the semi-finals."

Then came Sasha Brown, who also goes through with her versions of songs by Whitney Houston and Alicia Keys.

Speaking to the Post after her performance, Sasha summed up what most of the singers must surely have been feeling before the stage curtain rolled back.

"It's absolutely nerve-wracking," she said. "At one point I thought my knees were going to collapse, you know everyone's looking at you but you can really see past the lights.

"It's the first time I've done it and I think it's a really good thing to do because you get a lot of media attention and it can be a really good step into a career.

"There's a really big variety of performers here and it shows how diverse the music scene in Bristol is, so it's great."

Many of last night's performers were first-timers at the Fry Club and Serena Fynn, 23, from St George, was one of them.

But she will have to come back another year, as will 17-year-old Jadene Jenkins, from Bedminster Down.

Rebecca Sawicki, 30, from Yate, was also unsuccessful, as was Natasha Fudgell, 16, from Nailsea.

But Lucy came up next and impressed the judges with her renditions of I'm Not That Girl from the musical Wicked, then Roxy from Chicago.

She said: "To be honest I'm really shocked to get through but I'm really excited, although it's going to be tough to win because there are so many great acts."

Georgina Coles, 16, of Longwell Green, was a finalist last year and is back for more this year.

She sang a lively version of I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker by Sandi and completed an entertaining end to the second session by performing Don't Rain On My Parade from 1960s musical Funny Girl.

She went through to the semi-finals and told the Post: "I'm really pleased and I know I can get better in the next round."

Jemaine, performing under the name Frilla, brought something a little different to the night.

Power ballads and musicals gave way to rap and hip-hop, as Frilla performed songs he had written and produced himself even getting the crowd involved with the chorus of My Appetite.

He said: "I'm really happy, especially because I was the only guy performing tonight.

"It was good to do something different and get the crowd involved."

Next was Molli-Mai Nelson, 17, from Warmley, turned the evening classical with a rendition of Panis Angelicus before singing the challenging Unexpected Song by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

But she was the last unsuccessful act of the night.

Chloe, with family and friends watching, was next, singing Take A Bow by Rhianna then another ballad, Hero by Mariah Carey.

She said: "I really enjoyed it and I'm pleased to go through – I think I can go all the way."

Finally it was Madilyn, the oldest performer of the night, who brought the night to a close with another Whitney Houston track – Greatest Love Of All – followed by Way Of The World by Tina Turner.

She simply said: "I'm very happy and I'm going to try my hardest to win."

Last night's winners have joined the 28 other singers who have made it through to the semi-finals of this year's competition.

The semi-finals will take place on Sunday, April 5, April 26 and May 10.

Tickets will cost £4 for adults and £2 for under-16s, with the evenings starting at 7.15pm.

Then comes the big night – the Grand Final on Sunday, May 17 – when the Search For A Star 2009 will reach is dramatic conclusion.

Tickets will cost £6 for adults and £3 for children but will not be available until after the last semi-final.