IF there’s something vaguely familiar about aspiring singer-songwriter Tiffany Twisted it’s not really that surprising.
Tiffany Twisted is, in fact, the stage persona of ex-Barnard Castle School student Hetti Harper, originally from Lartington.
The 23-year-old moved to London four years ago where she is following her dream of writing songs and performing.
Her latest single Unholy Psalm has been featured for the first time on BBC Introducing and she now has an album’s worth of material recorded.
The next stage is to get the album out and unleash Tiffany Twisted on the world.
It’s been something of a journey for the Hetti, who received a choral scholarship to Barnard Castle School as an 11-year-old.
“They taught me everything I know. I owe them a lot,” she says.
After school, Hetti headed to London with her father David – television antiques expert and artist – and has stayed ever since.
She works at the Ministry of Sound Members Club and Workspace, a six floor complex combining private members’ club and offices for the creative sector but says she regards herself as a full time musician.
“I love it down here. Even though it’s ridiculously expensive, I can’t imagine being anywhere else.
“I moved down when dad worked here quite often and I got the bug.”
She says it has proved to be a good move as far as music is concerned.
“I have been writing for a long time and I write all the time,” says Hetti.
“In the last year or so, things have picked up. People started to get interested in stuff I was writing.”
She hit upon the stage name Tiffany Twisted from the reference contained in the Eagles classic Hotel California.
“Tiffany is may creation. Hotel California is probably one of my first memories of a song. Dad’s uncle used to play and sing it. She stuck in my head and I really like the idea of her. It felt like the perfect alias.
“I perform as Tiffany Twisted and all social media, email, etc is in her name. Most people don’t realise that’s not my real name.”
As she prepares to unveil Tiffany to the world, she continues to perform with friends in the capital.
“I am in a circle with a lot of musicians. I gig regularly with lots of other people – I am always doing something live.”
Hetti says she has been encouraged by the response to Unholy Psalm which can be heard on the Soundcloud platform.
“The reaction has been really good. I have had a lot of good stuff – it is quite overwhelming. In six months’ time the album will be a completely finished and released project. I did not expect to be at this point so soon.”
