A sell-out crowd at Hackney Empire saw spoken word artist Chifa K crowned the winner of Alter Ego 2017.
She was up against eight other acts on Friday night in the final of the talent contest, which launched the Council’s youth arts festival, Discover Young Hackney.
Winner, 18-year-old Chifa Khelfaoui who wowed the audience with her original piece, said she hoped other young people would be inspired by the show.
She said: “Don’t ever listen to the bad things people say. Whatever you want to do just go do it. Work hard for it.
“I wasn’t expecting to win tonight. I loved every minute of Alter Ego. I love Hackney - there are so many talented people here.” The evening was hosted by MTV presenter Kat B and DJ and model Snoochie Shy, with music from Urban FM’s DJ Semo.
Snoochie Shy said: “This is such a great event for young people to get involved in, showcase their talent, get out there and believe in themselves. It’s all about having confidence, every young person in Hackney should get involved in the festival.”
The Discover Young Hackney festival runs until September giving thousands of young people the chance to take part in a range of free or low cost taster sessions, workshops and performances.
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