Former Record reporter Bev Lyons turns tables by launching pop career
Showbiz journalist Bev Lyons has spent decades writing about everyone from Bieber to Beyonce and now she's about to release her own single.
Bev, who was invited to sing at Glasgow's Pride in the Barrowland Ballroom over the weekend, can't wait to show off her self-penned song I'm Leaving You when it is released on Wednesday.
The Glasgow-born writer and broadcaster, who has interviewed stars for the Record for over 20 years, began singing properly during the pandemic to entertain friends.
She said: 'I've always loved performing and I used to sing at family parties when I was wee but I couldn't look at my audience 'cause I was too scared.
"In more recent years I messed around in my bedroom, writing music on GarageBand.' Although Bev has always championed other stars, she did once perform with one of the UK's biggest pop names.
She said: 'I won a karaoke competition to be one of Boy George's backing singers at Abbey Road for a rerelease of Karma Chameleon. It was an amazing experience and I thought that was my 15 minutes of fame.'
Being a showbiz writer soon took over and Bev put her singing dreams on hold until lockdown when red carpet events came to an abrupt stop. With time on her hands she returned to her singing, taking virtual lessons from renowned vocal coach Robert Wishart.
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She said: 'I'd been thinking about adding songs to my hosting work and had contacted Robert about that – and over lockdown, I sang on Facebook and tried to entertain my then-bored neighbours with some balcony tunes.'
Her performances got a thumbs-up and after Covid she was asked to appear at live gigs. She said: 'I love being able to sing tobigger audiences.
'My debut single is a pop song about life after love, inspired by songs by Cher, Miley Cyrus and Gloria Gaynor. It's a real upbeat anthem about hope, strength and survival.'
Bev posted a clip of her song on social media and it's received acclaim from celeb followers including Deacon Blue's Lorraine McIntosh, Bay City Roller Stuart 'Woody' Wood, TV host Ross King, River City's Tom Urie, singers May Miller and Jesse Rae, and St Phoenix stars Alan and Stevie Jukes.
Bev said: 'I'm absolutely loving the buzz and excitement just now and to be able to perform it at the iconic Barrowland Ballroom was a dream come true.
'I have been told I'll get radio play from some stations but I don't believe anything until it happens. As Oasis once said, I'll just roll with it.'
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