The Voice singer Ciiara Nyx says music helped her navigate her trans identity

A singer who won over all four coaches on The Voice UK has said music helped her make sense of the "complex" feelings she experienced growing up as a transgender woman.

Ciiara Baker, 21, who performs as Ciiara Nyx, earned a coveted four-chair turn during the ITV talent show's blind auditions after performing Glory Box by Portishead.

Speaking to the BBC, she said songwriting had become an important outlet after she came out as trans at the age of 15.

"There was always this weird feeling, like I wasn't in the right body," she said on the programme. "I would steal all my mum's clothes. I would wear her makeup."

Ciiara said she did not fully understand those feelings at the time, but had more time to reflect during the Covid pandemic when "the world went quiet".

"I was scared of feeling it and dealing with it because it is a big thing and it's very complex actually for a young person to go through," she said.

She said music had given her a way to express emotions she found difficult to put into words.

"I've never really been good with maybe saying things, so putting it into music is a lot more of an easier outlet for me."

Originally from Worcestershire, Ciiara spent her childhood in Broadway, Malvern and Evesham before moving to London, where she is studying music at university.

Her audition impressed judges Kelly Rowland, Sir Tom Jones and McFly bandmates Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones, who share a double chair as one coaching team.

All four turned their chairs in a bid to mentor her, with Ciiara eventually choosing Fletcher and Jones.

Away from the stage, she credited her mother, Vicki, with helping her embrace both her identity and her ambition to pursue music.

Vicki said she had "always known" her child was transgender.

"I've had my tears," she said. "But I'd rather my girl here and be with me and that's the bottom line of it all, and she's happy."

She added that she had encouraged her daughter to be herself.

"I've always said to her, 'be the person you want to be', and she is doing that and I love that."

Ciiara will return to The Voice UK when the competition continues on ITV1 on Saturday from 20:35 BST.

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