GLOR1A has always dreamed of becoming a singer. Growing up in a Pentecostal Christian family near Blackpool, music was always part of her life and she spent her childhood summers performing on the pier before heading off to university to study business, finance and economics. But the siren call of music remained strong, with GLOR1A eventually moving to London and recording vocals for house music producers. Often unpaid and feeling overlooked, Gloria was close to giving up until she met Gaika, a musician and visual artist who encouraged her to find her own sound.

She released her first EP as GLOR1A, starting to find her creative voice and a more experimental sound and look. Things were going well. So well, in fact, that she quit her day job in February 2020. Four weeks later the world shut down and with it all her gigs and income disappeared. With no money coming in, she reluctantly left London and moved in with her dad.

Two years later with her savings depleted and no home to call her own, GLOR1A gave herself an ultimatum; six months to get her music to a level where she can find a label to back her, try and get a publishing deal and build back the momentum she needs to make singing a sustainable career. Now the six months is nearly up, can she do it or should she give up her dreams?

Produced and presented by Emily Dicks