Courtney Hadwin was totally in her element as she joined Little Steven and The Disciples of Soul alongside Sam Fender at the O2 Academy in Newcastle for a high-energy performance that had the audience buzzing.
The Durham-born singer performed with confidence and flair, seeming to have as much fun on stage as if it were her own headline show.
Reflecting on the experience, Courtney posted on social media:
“Meeting and sharing the stage with Stevie Van Zandt last night was the best. An amazing singer & performer with one hell of a career and voice and what a bloody show he put on! Who would have thought I’d be rocking it out with Stevie Van Zandt and the talented Sam Fender!!!”
It’s been more than eight years since the then-13-year-old Courtney stunned the world on ‘America’s Got Talent’ with her iconic rendition of Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle,” one of the show’s most-viewed auditions. Despite the early boost, Courtney admits the path has not been easy.
“It’s been hard, I’m not gonna lie. I’m always so grateful for the opportunity that show gave me and the people who’ve found my music because of it. But it’s one of those things where I constantly feel like I have to prove I’m not just the girl from that TV show.”
Courtney’s passion for music traces back to her youth. Inspired by James Brown and Tina Turner, she recalls the moment she realized singing was her calling:
“I kept watching more videos and discovering new people just by scrolling the side of YouTube. That’s when I really knew this was something I wanted to do in the future.”
Navigating the music industry wasn’t easy. After her record deal fell through shortly before her 16th birthday, she struggled with songwriters and producers who didn’t understand her sound. Courtney says it wasn’t until she met producer Kevin Bowe—known for his work with Etta James and Joe Cocker—that her musical identity truly began to take shape.
“He really got me. I feel like that’s when the music started to actually matter to me, songwriting-wise. I’ve never written this personally before, and I’ve got Kevin, my producer, to thank for that.”
Performing alongside music legends like Stevie Van Zandt and rising stars like Sam Fender is just one more step in Courtney’s journey to carve out her own distinct space in the music world.
As she continues to prove herself beyond the TV spotlight, audiences can expect the same powerhouse vocals and raw energy that have defined her career from the very beginning.
