Life after Fame Academy

Time in the Fame Academy inspired Sinead's song

She may have come second in the final round of the BBC's talent competition, but that hasn't stopped Sinead Quinn from graduating from the Fame Academy with honours.

Sinead has just released her first solo single 'I Can't Break Down' which she co-wrote with Pete Glenister & Deni Lew.

The songwriters also worked with Darius on his recent number one hit Colour Blind.

The 22 year old from Irvinestown in Northern Ireland, was one of the stand out performers from the smash hit BBC TV series, Fame Academy, which reached its dramatic climax towards the end of 2002.

Sinead Quinn appeared live on Breakfast talking about her new single, you can see that interview by clicking on the link below

Click here for that interview

Sinead was the first person to ever win a public vote on the show, when she sang against two other people for a place in the Academy during the first Friday night showdown on October 4th.

For twelve weeks, Sinead won over the academy 'tutors' and the public alike with her distinctively raw vocals, candid attitude.

Her skills as a songwriter and all round musician - she plays guitar piano and mandolin did not go unnoticed.

Unfortunately she took second place to David Sneddon on finals night but that has not stopped some magazines comparing her to US songstress Pink.

She was the only female contestant to remain in the Academy for the final three weeks, and on the last showdown on Friday December 13th, she received over 2.5 million votes from the public.

On the final show contestants were given the option to perform a song written by themselves and she chose Can't Break Down giving an outstanding performance to an audience of seven million television viewers.

I Can't Break Down was inspired by her time in the Academy, and her need to feel strong throughout the weeks spent away from her family, singing for survival, and having to go through the difficult process of voting her fellow students off the show.

Sinead can be also be heard on the "Fame Academy" album, which was released in December - it sold over 470,000 copies during the Christmas period.

The album held the No.2 spot in the highly competitive compilations chart over Christmas, making it one of the most successful compilation albums of the year.

On the album, Sinead performs her own rendition of the No Doubt hit Don't Speak, which was one of her most memorable performances on the TV show.

She also performs on the track Keep Me A Secret, which she co-wrote with fellow Fame Academy members Ainslie Henderson and Malachi Cush.

Sinead, along with David and the other students from Fame Academy go on tour in April