A Welsh singer who appeared on the The Voice in Germany is now hoping to represent San Marino in the Eurovision Song Contest .

Helen Leahey became a star in her adoptive country after appearing on the singing/reality TV show to find the country’s next superstar.

But now the 30-year-old, originally from Cynwyd, Denbighshire , is hoping to perform on an even bigger stage by taking part in the biggest singing competition in Europe.

Inspired by the Irish music played to her by her father as a little girl, Helen’s music can be characterised by Celtic instrumentation and deep vocals.

She wowed judges with her rendition of Danny Boy in her audition and reached the battle stages of the competition before she was voted out.

But Helen looks back on her time of the show as “hugely” positive to her career.

Helen Leahey, 30, appeared on the German version of The Voice, where she lives

She said: “When I applied for The Voice it wasn’t a serious thing. People had been telling me for years to do something like that. I wasn’t a fan of those TV shows and I found it hard to see myself on that format. I thought The Voice was the most dignified of those shows. I thought in order to get more known I would need to do something radical.

“I got through and I was invited to casting and then I kept getting through to the next round. I met so many great musicians and I couldn’t believe it. A lot of people don’t realise you have to go through eight castings before you get onto the stage itself.

“I reached the battles round but I expected to go out at that stage because I have got a bit of a niche appeal.

“My music isn’t commercial yet but people really liked the style of music. We need brave people to say let’s try something new.

“As a result of The Voice I have got a bit more known and I got the ball rolling. It was a positive experience and worth doing. You have got nothing to lose as a musician on those shows, I think you have to be emotionally stable enough as I saw some people who were pretty devastated.”

The former student of Yale College, Wrexham , moved to Germany at the age of 14 with her mother and now lives near Koblenz.

She bought her first guitar at the age of 16 and started writing songs and learning to play Celtic instruments.

Helen Leahey sitting in the famous The Voice chair

Describing her musical style, Helen said: “A lot of people describe it as new but familiar sounding. I think it’s because use a lot of traditional Celtic instruments. My music is quite catchy and I take influence from folk music with double meanings, humour, the light and the dark.

“You can be dancing on the table one minute and melancholic the next. Vocally I can go quite deep and that’s not a bad trademark but I can also go quite high as well.”

The next step on Helen’s musical journey is her bid to represent San Marino at the Eurovision Song Contest, which is being held in Lisbon next year.

Despite having no connection with the oldest republic in the world, Helen said she would be proud to represent San Marino in the competition.

She said: “I am one of many people who are in contention to represent San Marino at the Eurovision song contest, it’s like the Olympics of singing.

“You have to build a reputation and a name for yourself and if it doesn’t work out this year I will be trying again next year.

“The entry I am using is my song Iceberg, which uses Celtic instruments with Flameco rhythms.”

Visit www.helenleahey.com to vote for Helen as San Marino’s entry to the Eurovision Song Contest.