Edinburgh schoolgirl 'living her dream' as youngest Fringe street performer aged 11
An Edinburgh schoolgirl has been named the youngest Fringe street performer at the festival this year.
Caitlin Roisin, 11, started playing musical instruments when she was just two-years-old and has continued to progress her talents for almost 10 years.
Since the Festival Fringe got underway this year, Caitlin has put on a street performance six times. Along with her guitar, the aspiring musician performs songs including Zombie, Counting Stars and Shotgun.
Building large crowds around her as she performs, dad Stephen Tierney, is "extremely proud" of his daughter.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Caitlin said: "I started to play my first instrument at two and I just built it up and up. I started going to Totally Sound and after that I got used to doing some busking.
"When I heard I could do busking at the Fringe, we signed up for it. I have done six performances so far.
"Sometimes it can be scary but when you continue it, everything becomes calmer. I am really proud of myself."
Performing on the Royal Mile, Caitlin is surrounded by a number of experienced buskers of an older age.
Dad Stephen, said it is "startling" seeing her perform to a large crowd of people. She recently started P7 and is planning on balancing her school life with her busking throughout the month.
Stephen added: "When she first started performing, I was impressed she had the confidence at 11 - I am obviously very proud of her.
"I think it's remarkable what she can do. It's startling when you see her next to other professional street performers. I think a lot of people do a double take because she is smaller and younger.
"A lot of the locals relationship with the fringe is a love/hate one so it's nice for a local to be up there and claiming a bit of there for herself.
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"She's surrounded by music because I am a professional musician. Our house is full of instruments and when she was two, she expressed an interest.
"We got her a ukulele and she would make up songs from a very young age. She became competent and when she was seven, she got her first guitar and it's progressed from there."
After first starting her music journey with Totally Sound, Caitlin will be performing at Mercat Cross behind St Giles Cathedral as part of their Community Stage 2025.
The show will take place on Friday, August 22, at 3.30pm.
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