Nadia Vella is a talented Maltese actress who launched her acting career at age 11, taking part in numerous productions both in the UK and Malta. “I took part in Annie as part of a Masquerade production when I was 11, playing the main role. This was my first official production… my first debut,” Nadia said. “You need to understand… I’m petrified of dogs. Obviously I had to work with a massive golden retriever. He was really sweet.  “There was an incident on stage with the dog. It was during the part where I had to call Sandy to come, and she wouldn’t obey. The Manoel Theatre was packed. I started inching closer to the golden retriever, telling her to come towards me. Eventually I just walked up right to her, hugged her and said ‘what a good girl Sandy’. I didn’t quite know what to do, it was very embarrassing.” Soon after, Nadia began training with soprano Gillian Zammit, later taking part in quite a few shows including Little Shop of Horrors, Cabaret, Beyond the Barricade and others. “My training with her was mostly classical… operatic,” she explained. “I took part in a Masquerade production once a year after that, except when I was abroad of course.” She didn’t have any training in school prior to this, “as we didn’t have any music class at school at the time. The only music classes available were in Form 1 and Form 2. I had gone to a Church school however I believe government and private schools had music classes implemented in primary school at the time.” “I had studied for a year to acquire my teaching license in vocal teaching,” she said. “I graduated in 2011 and at first I was teaching at a private school, but now I’m teaching at a public primary school. I prefer working with primary school children, I find I have more patience with the little ones. As I had said, I didn’t have the opportunity to practice music in Primary School, so I really find this rewarding. Some of my students are very good at playing certain instruments.”   From the UK to Germany Nadia went to study acting and musical theatre in Hertfordshire theatre school in the UK.  “I also worked in Germany for a while, with the Weinacht Circus. It’s a circus catering for corporate events, incorporating singing and dancing. It was quite a fun and unique experience. Soon after, I took part in a tour around the South East of England, performing Oliver. In addition, I also took part in a show called the Showbiz pop orchestra, directed by Richard Ward-Roden, quite known in the UK.” Nadia had auditioned for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Somewhere over the rainbow’, and made it through three rounds however didn’t get the part. “I remember Sheila Hancock, one of the judges, turned round and asked me to come forward. ‘Come here’, she said… ‘No you don’t look innocent enough for Dorothy, you don’t have the face for it’. I was really angry, it had nothing to do with my talent. ‘I’m not trying to insult you but you just don’t have the naivety for it’, she told me. All in all it was an experience,” she said.   Musician or actress? Although an actress, Nadia also dabbles as a singer. “I had taken part in the programme ‘Sfida’ in 2004 and I currently play with Keith Muscat, a guitarist. He knew me from the programme and contacted me when I arrived back in Malta. Our first gig was in 2010 at Café Jubilee. Paul Abela knew me from ‘Annie’ and he plays with us as well.  Nadia took part in ‘Gensna’ at Smart City recently. “It’s a mixture of Maltese and English songs from 50 years ago to now, and I sang in both Maltese and English,” she explained. “I’ve dabbled in writing my own songs. I wouldn’t say I’m a singer/songwriter, in fact I think I would need a lyricist in all honesty. I’ve got a musical theatre sound, quite Disney. I think I sound like the girl who sang the little mermaid soundtrack,” she said. Since coming back to Malta, she has taken part in a number of plays including ‘The Best of Broadway’.  Although she enjoys singing, Nadia loves Theatre. “You get to be different people, and I love getting into the mind of different characters. Sometimes when it’s a gig, I’m just sitting down and singing, but on stage, you’re performing. I’m a theatre person but I do enjoy singing.” “My idol is Idina Menzel. She was the original ‘Elphaba’ in the play ‘Wicked’, which is one of my favourite shows. I had gone to see her live around four or five times when she was in the West End. She has an amazing singing voice, but she can act very well as well. You really believe she is ‘Elphaba’.”   Musical theatre – a cutthroat business? “I’ve been in the theatre field in Malta since I was very young, and due to the fact that I know so many people in the field, I don’t find it hard to hear about auditions and everyone is very friendly. Working abroad is different. It is very competitive. You’ll go in for an audition and there will be ten to fifteen girls looking just like you. It’s not a matter of going in and just singing or acting well, you need to be really good as they are really harsh. I remember I had gone in for an audition and they lined us up, saying this one’s too fat, too short, bad facial features etc. I didn’t get chosen as I was too short.”  In the UK, competition is much tougher she said.  “When it comes to music gigs, it’s a different story. I don’t really know anyone involved in that field here in Malta, so it’s harder for me to get gigs. “Going onto the stage for the first time is quite an experience. Being young, I was really happy and excited, I just wanted to do the show. When you are on stage, you cannot really see the audience due to the spotlights. I tend to get nervous during the audition, rather than during the show.”