Talent program that nurtured X-Factor starlet Jess Dunbar’s dream of making it big among others

X-FACTOR runner up Jess Dunbar is one of a growing list of performers to have started at a talent program in south west Sydney.

JESS Dunbar has come a long way since her days taking to the stage in Bankstown as a starry-eyed teen, dreaming of making it big.

The rising singing talent and boyfriend Matt Price wowed Australia on X-Factor last year and in December released their self-titled debut album.

The 23-year-old, now signed to Sony Music, attributes some of her breakout success to a program nurturing the next generation of southwest Sydney stars — Bankstown’s Talent ­Advancement Program (TAP).

Australia fell in love with Jess Dunbar and her partner Matt Price in last year’s X Factor finale, but where did the south west Sydney starlet get all that talent?

Dunbar was among a group of TAP students who travelled to Japan to perform in 2009.

In Year 11 and 12 as a Bankstown Grammar student Dunbar honed her ­vocals during workshops and stage performances set up by TAP.

Dunbar said the most memorable experience was a stint performing in Japan for crowds of thousands.

“(TAP) really built my confidence as a performer. You can practise in your room until you think it’s perfect, but singing in front of a group really changes the way you perform and teaches you a lot,” she toldThe ­Express.

“Just like X-Factor they would give you constructive feedback to help you as an artist ... So X-Factor wasn’t the first time I’d been singing and was immediately judged.”

Program director Wendy Tierney said she had been in awe listening to Dunbar perform alongside Price.

Picnic Point High School student Cooper Dallimore, 16, performing through the Talent Advancement Program.

However she said TAP could not take all the credit for the starlet’s success.

“She has always been a very talented girl. She works hard, she knows what she wants and she’s been lucky to get some really good breaks along the way. But it doesn’t come without the work and she has been putting in the hard yards,” Ms Tierney said.

She said TAP, which takes in the next round of 27 youth in February, had skyrocketed in popularity since Dunbar and other successful singers such as Casey Donovan had gone through.

TAP is run by Bankstown Council with support from the NSW Department of Education and Communities.

SUCCESS STORIES

Since it was launched in 2002 it has led many Australian vocalists down path of success.

Some of these include:

Casey Donovan. Picture Chris Pavlich

Casey Donovan — Was part of TAP in 2003-4. She became famous after winning Australian Idol in 2004.

Paulini.

Paulini — Helped launch TAP. She appeared on Australia Idol in 2003 and is now a successful singer.

Joel Newman.

Joel Newman Was part of TAP from 2005-08. Now a successful musician living and performing in LA.