Sarah hopes for big hit with Sahara (From Swindon Advertiser)

Sarah hopes for big hit with Sahara

8:00am Thursday 23rd October 2008

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A FORMER Swindon musician is hoping her band’s first single will launch her long-awaited quest for stardom.

Saxophonist and composer Sarah Louise Ings, 27, who used to live in Highworth Road, Stratton, is launching her group Sahara’s single Tango onto iTunes in the next few weeks.

The former Kingsdown pupil won a scholarship to study at Dean Close School in Cheltenham and then went to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

She said: “I was 12 or 13 when I decided that’s what I wanted to do, to be a musician and be signed to a record label.

“Since then I have always had this idea to do a classical crossover.

“For years I have been saying it will work.

“The idea of never making it is just awful – I think it’s just got to happen.”

Formed in 2007 the band, made up of three string players and manager Sarah Louise on saxophone, has accompaniment from beat boxer and vocalist Wayne Robinson and Anthony Strong on piano.

The song, composed by Sarah Louise and based on the tango version of Roxanne featured in the film Moulin Rouge, is a fusion of classical, hip-hop and tango.

The band hope the piece will do well either in the classical charts and the mainstream.

Sarah Louise’s parents still run a guest house in Stratton.

She said: “I’m a big fan of Swindon and I try to come home whenever I can.”

Her obsession with music began at seven when her mum bought her a keyboard for Christmas and her dad taught her to play Chopsticks.

She said: “I remember I kept running down the garden saying ‘Dad, I know it, can you teach me that next bit please?’”

Sarah Louise can also play the flute, and clarinet and occasionally plays the tuba and trombone.

To hear the song go to http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=FsjbJESYcuo. To get more information on the single visit www.saharacollective.com. It will be available to download by typing ‘Sahara’ into iTunes.