That Gaby Roslin Podcast: Reasons To Be Joyful - Sydnie Christmas

Episode Date: July 7, 2026

Singer, actress and Britain's Got Talent winner Sydnie Christmas joins Gaby for a strawberry daiquiri and natter about all things joy. They discuss her new music, filming a video in Ibiza, BGT, her favourite musicals (and her dream role) and why a tube of lip balm has become her lucky charm. We also learn about the item that brings her the most joy in our Show n Tell section! Remember you can watch all our episodes via our YouTube channel! Please like and subscribe.

Sydney Christmas, I love seeing you every single time because you're a joy spreader, but mostly because for the past 10 minutes we've been trying to get rid of flies out of the studio. I didn't think I could ever have so much fun trying to get rid of flies, watching you swatting them with your denim jacket. Welcome! Thank you for having me. What an experience. And now I'm happy to be sitting here with strawberry daquery.

Thank you so much. It feels like on holiday because the weather's so nice. I know, but also I'm still in a little bit of holiday mode. I've just come back from Ibiza last night. night. Last night. It was on holiday, though. I was doing the music video for my new single,

but I'm still in that IBFA mode, and I've never been there before, so thank you so much for this. Was that your first time? It's a first time. Do you know I'm going to tell you, I've never been. Well, me neither before.

Was it nice? The couple of days. Yes, it was amazing. Boiling. It was like an absolute hot box. So when you're doing a music video in Ibiza, you're all dressed up, suppose, to the nines,

face full of makeup. When I go on holiday, you will not see me with an ounce of makeup on because you just can't, can you? But I was absolutely sweating, dripping. Enjoy the video, everybody. You're welcome. Tell us about the video. Tell us about the song. This is your new single.

Yes, I've got a new song coming out called Lean on You. And I think it comes out about the 20-something of June. So about when this is going out? Yes. Perfect. So just got it mastered. Got that through yesterday. It's sounding all lovely.

Very summer vibes. It's a bit of reggae, bit of Olivia Dean funk, Donna Summer, that kind of thing. No, no, that's a trio. I know, I wish. Reggae. Yeah, I know. Oh, my goodness. I know. I wrote it about my partner, about finding a new love and finding, you know, that man that makes you blossom into a woman,

something that I've never tried to feel before. And it's such a beautiful and fun feeling. And I've just wrapped that up and put that in a song. How lovely. Does he know it was for him? Yes. Everything that I say in this song is in a conversation we have had.

So basically we sat there one day and I'm working so hard at the minute, I have no time. Naturally, you have stress, right? And I'm sitting there and I'm quite somebody that just goes, no, I'm just going to deal with it, I'm going to do it, I'm just going to crack on. And he went, Sid. He went, I'm here for a reason.

Proud of your strong woman, whatever. But he went lean on me. He went, lean on me, use me. And I thought, that's so, that's so lovely. Which I haven't in relationships really been able to do before. So the first lyrics are, I'm unlearning old ways, be patient with me. It's such a beautiful thing. And did you lean on him?

Are you leaning on him? Yes, I absolutely am. Since he said that, that's it. But that's about trust. It is about trust. But trust in yourself as well. Yeah, absolutely. he's made me feel more like a woman than I ever had.

I'm quite the tomboy but he has allowed me to properly tap into my feminine side, which I love, which is lovely. You're in love. I am in love. Look at you. That smile when you talk about him. Yeah. How long have you been together?

Just under a year now. Just under a year and he is complimenting this amazing, but can be stressful life. Yeah. I mean, you're worth throwing in. Yeah. To the fame side. I mean, you've been doing singing and musical theatre and performing since you were tiny. But the fame side is different. Because you have all of that level to cope with as well. And you were thrown in. And it was...

Biggie, that's it. Side of the industry, I don't know. Like, you've got to try and keep relevant and things like that. And then it's constant. It's constant. It's amazing. And it's the side of the industry. I didn't know how to get into. always wanted to learn. So brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. But... You're not complaining.

You're just saying there's a heavy load. It's a heavy load. Yeah. I wouldn't want it any other way. Ever. So let's go back. I think a lot of people, you know, I still can't believe it was 24.

For me? Just under two years. Yeah. Two years. Tomorrow. Second of June. I mean, it's just... A couple of days under two years.

But what I can't get over is, I feel like it was longer ago. And I mean that in a lovely way, because you and I've spoken a few times. And I've seen you in a show. And I've seen you live. But it feels like you've been around for a very long time. And that is a compliment because it feels right that you're around. But also, it was only two years ago.

Yeah, that was lovely. You've done so much, though, in two years. Yeah. I know, I know. Sometimes I have to just stand them and go, you're doing all right. Like, it's always in this industry, right. Next, what's the next thing? What's the next thing?

What's the next thing? Keep going up the ladder. everything's do this, this will help in somewhere. It's like muffled all the time. But you just say, I'm sometimes just got to go, you'll do it, you've done, your lucky girl, look what you've done. So just slow down, be present, everything's good, you know. So back to you wanting to do this.

Yes. And you train musical theatre with your thing. Yeah. Did you ever imagine, when you had those dreams, because I'm somebody who had dreams from the age of three, knew what I wanted to do. Did you imagine, because I want to put myself in your head, did you think I will be there,

so on the Western stage, on television, making albums? Did you really believe that you do that? Yeah, good. I did not see how, you know, that's very confident to say. No, it's not. Not in my nature to be like, yes. But I was very lucky. It's your dreams.

Yeah. Out of my siblings as well, I was the only, I just done it. I was the annoying sister that wouldn't stop and made everyone sing songs and do this and watch me, watch me, look what I've done, look what I've wrote, this, that and the other. I knew. I dreamed, I'd see it,

imagined it, dreamt it. Yeah, nothing. I didn't want anything else. I didn't know anything else. I still don't know anything else. If this didn't happen or if this didn't work, I have no idea what I'd do. But it was going to because of how determined you were.

And people use the word determined in a negative way. I use it in a really positive way. I think that young people, you know, there's, we hear so many negative things. And I think it's really important to know about following your dreams. It's something I feel really passionate about. And that you might not do exactly what you thought, but there's little offshoots. There are ways and there are different things you can do to fulfill those dreams. Yeah, absolutely.

And there's on their own journey. And there'll be lots of young people listening and they'll think, hold on, she knew and I'm here and this is what I want to do so it can happen and it can. Yeah, it absolutely can

I meet a lot of young people and they're going, I want to be just like you. I visited my secondary school the other day. I went back in, I contacted them because I knew they were trying

to contact me and it's just, whatever. I went in and I went into the music class and spoke to aspiring young musicians

and young musicians and young singers that and they sat there and the classroom is the same and I've got videos of me in that classroom writing my very first very terrible song me with a guitar sitting over there

and I was talking to them and I went if I can do it while saying that you can't good for you lovely I went and then talking to them about online and how sometimes that online's a very dangerous place sometimes but I went you can't take no for an answer and you really, it's all about you believing in yourself

and just, you know, putting your hand up to the haters and going, that's okay, but I'm on my own journey and just stick into your own journey. So it was... And being good and kind, because you are. Exactly. The main thing is being kind. The main thing.

It's the same if you go into an interview for an office job. They can tell if you're not a nice person, they're going to go, oh, we don't really want to work with you. You know, in an office, it's the exact same you've got to be kind to everyone. All the time. So back to BGT, and I know we've spoken about it before, and I know you've talked about it a lot, but now, you know, because once this goes out,

the final would have happened, is there a part of you that watches it and thinks, that remembers those nerves and the fear, or did you just, how were you feeling just before that? I was terrified. I was terrified. I actually went back on BGT about three weeks ago, which was lovely.

I was with the Great Ormond Street Choir. I was singing with them and the nerves, they don't leave you. They're good. They're good. Yeah, I'm being put back on that stage where the biggest thing in my life today happened to me. And loads of different emotions.

You know, I go back now having, maybe a different person, a bit more seasoned and a bit more knowing of who she is than I was when I won the show. And it's so interesting going back. Do you ever watch the videos of you doing it? Yes. Not often, but I do.

I've probably watched my audition. I would say no more than 10 times, I would say. And it's so lovely. Every time I go back, I go, because it is a version of myself, and you can see the fire in her. Yeah. And I was like, you were begging. You was just, and it makes me cry every time.

It's so, so lovely. And I didn't know I had that in me until I, I remember seeing it for the first time when it got aired, and I was thrown back and I was like, wow, that's how I feel. Now you've all seen it. It's the TV is the funniest thing. And so when you won, and then it was, bam, I mean, you haven't stopped since. I know.

So those moments of being in a musical, and albums and doing beautiful, oh, memorial things, all of those things. Is there, do you live, are you able to go, wow, you know, take in those moments when you're singing to those crowds or something, is there a moment where you don't worry about the words or you just think, this is me? This is where I am. Yes, because I've consciously, consciously said to myself and I say often, you must enjoy everything. yes, the stresses that come with it

and it'll just sound sometimes and all, my in here is a work or whatever, you must go, this is so cool. You're lucky girl. But make sure you take it in. I try and say that every time, consciously. Otherwise, you won't. You'll just, it gets above you and you're just like,

you can get carried away. You can get carried away, yes. Okay, so let's go to now. Yes. So an album, single. you've got, it's you, this is you writing. It's not, it's not standards that we all know and love and you do those beautifully. Thank you.

And I love them as well. And you mustn't stop doing those. Absolutely not. Because we'll meet again that you do. Yes. Oh, you made everybody quite for the right reasons. But this is you. This is really you now, isn't it?

These are your words, like you said about you and your partner. I know. This conversation we had, so I'm going to put it in a song. Yeah. And it's something that I've done since I was 11. I was 11 when I first wrote mine. When I finished a song, you know, it's a lot writing, you know, a verse or a chorus. Or, Mum, look what I've made.

But finishing a song, I was 11 and I've still got it. And now I'm actually doing it to release as an album with my name on it. It's so special. Good. So, so special. I'm loving everything and I'm learning so much. I'm probably a little bit late to the recording game, you know, and I have released things like in lockdown with my friend, Steph,

and we've never done it before. He's a wannabe producer. I was a wannabe artist, so he was like, should you see something, it's fun? So we ended up releasing something on Spotify, but it's just so cool to see the different versions of me then going, right, now you're Sydney Christmas, the artist. What have you got to say?

You're doing this for real now, Sid, so I'm like, okay, all right, let's crack on, let's go. bit of a go. But also, you told me just before we came in here, but you're going to New York. Yes. Tell me about that. Oh, I'm going back to Sony Hall. So I've been there in summer last year. Yeah. And I've got, I'm going back, which is lovely, because I love New York. And I love that venue. So I was so happy that they was able to have me back. And then I'm going to, we've got a date in Philadelphia the next day, and then Boston the day after that.

So it's a tiny little mini tour. And I love it in America. And Boston. and Philadelphia, I haven't been there. So, yeah, just trying to, you know, plant little seeds around. And how do the Americans, what do they like? Do they embrace you, they love your music? They are amazing. Good. I have such amazing, loyal fans out in America.

So I'm so blessed to have an opportunity to go out there, perform for them and say thanks, basically. And okay, so I've got to ask you, because you know I'm a musical theatre fanatic, I love it. Are you going to do more musicals? I will never, ever not. Good, that didn't say I am. Ever. That means I'm not playing. I'm auditioning.

I'm auditioning for things. I will never not audition because you can't just, you've got to be open to everything. You know, you must be open to everything. Even though there's plans of me doing more artist stuff in the next year, I spoke to my manager and my agents today and there's auditions coming up. And you want to meet these people, so I'm like, I'm going to still go in if that's okay. And then, you know, nothing is certain, you know. Dream, okay, it's a magic wand.

It's invisible, but very visible. Yeah. That's a hard question. No, no, no. Dream show. No, yes. I have to, because everybody always asks me, what's your favourite musical?

I can't. I find it difficult. I have a favourite and then I have one which I think is the greatest so you can do the same Right, okay doesn't have to,

yeah, no, we're roll for you, yeah, which role would love, I love calamity Jane Oh, do you know, I didn't think you're going to say that I was going somewhere else which I'll tell you why. Was you going to say like wicked or something?

No. And also like Hello Dolly and things like that. Oh, so proper old standards. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Oh, you'd like to be Dolly. Yeah.

I know, you've got to be a little bit, Oh, no, I love. Just things... Yeah, that's not yet. I'd love to be a Nancy. Okay. You'd be Nancy. Those are the two I was thinking of.

Oh, really? Nancy, without a doubt, it was Nancy. The other was waitress. Oh, I would love waitress. Dare you see! I would love waitress. I would absolutely... I think you'd smash that.

Love waitress. And I've seen she used to be mine. I have a version of that on my album. I'm really trying to... Oh, my goodness, I just thought of one that I've been really pushing for in the past year. Cabaret. Oh.

Sally Bowles. But have you audition for it yet? No, I don't know why. Maybe they've got a line of people waiting to go in. I love this version. It is fantastic. Please let me in for the casting. We must know people.

Let's call them. Oh no. Hold on. Come on. Hi. Hi, so Sydney Christmas is here right now. She's going to, go on. They need a bit of, come on.

Brilliant. I've gone complete, but I nearly sang wicked. No, that's the wrong show. Under pressure, under pressure. Life is a cabaret. Yeah. Oh, you want me to sing it? Just a line.

Just this is your edition. Are you making me? No, you're brilliant. Completely go nervous. I don't get a little bit of stage for us. I'll start singing it instead. Go on. No.

We could do, maybe this time. Oh, yes. Maybe this time I'll be lucky. Oh, I love that song. Maybe this time he'll stay. I sang that in my concert. in September. It was the most amazing experience.

And before I sung it, I'd come up with this idea that I can talk about my new love, that I've been unlucky in love in life. You know, I like to make things personal, and I brought Harry into it. I called him Mr. Maybe at the time. I said that he's, you know, I said that I'd take him out on a date.

It was like, oh, fifth date at the time. And I said, I'd take him to a show. Yeah. I said, I'd take him to a show, so I took him to mine. How did he sweat profusely? He absolutely did. Terrified. Yeah.

And then all of a sudden, the music starts coming in. And I was like, maybe this time I'll be lucky. Literally, I could see him in the audience like this. Was he, ah, did he disappear in the scene? He was so, so proud. He was so proud at the end of it. It was good. It was perfect date.

I won the boy. There's another, there's all sorts of musical theatre songs that are coming into my mind now. Also, Rent is coming back. I know. Rent is fantastic. I think you could actually do any role Oh, thank you No, but you could

Because that's what you wanted to do when you were younger those Yes, absolutely Absolutely Yeah, there's so many That's such a quick thinking is not my It's not my thing No, but you did very well, you answered it to me So my favourite musical

Is a chorus line Because I love the songs in that But I think the greatest musical Possibly is West Side Story Oh, 100%. Yeah. 1,000%. But I do love all the others.

Yeah. I don't think there's any other. Oh, yeah, no, there's that one. Have you ever done music. You've heard. Yeah. I've done musical theatre. Chicago.

I was Mama. Yeah. Such a good role. Yeah. That's such a good role. Also, you don't have to dance. I don't want to dance. Never going to do.

Not do that dance thing. See, that's the other thing. Have they asked you to do? I love dancing. So have they asked you... What? Lee? Frank?

Link? I wish. And you'd like, it's so hard to get on. Can you please let me on strictly? No, so you want to be in cabaret on strictly. I don't ask for much. I do not ask for much. So let's talk about your family then.

Go on then. How do they, from the little girl at 11 who finished the song and said, look, mum, I've finished writing a song. How have they taken the past two years? I, they're so proud. They are so, so proud. Mum finds it really bizarre, the change into, I don't feel famous, but I suppose I'm at whatever grade of fame there is, she can't actually, she's like, it's my daughter, and yeah, so it's been,

it's been a thing, but they're so proud and. Oh, how lovely. They're so amazing, my family. They're really, they're so supportive. So they don't get carried away with it, because some families find it really difficult. and some get carried away with it. And I think because they've always known that this is what you want to do, it probably makes it easier.

Yeah, my mum and dad, the reason I actually got into musical theatre was when I was younger, that's singing, that was my thing. I wouldn't stop. And I think what they, that they would just get advice and people were like, put her in a theatre school. And that's where it started. And then that's the route that I went down and things like that. because I did try an audition for Brits school.

They wouldn't let me in. Because I lived at the catchment area, I think. Oh, really? Yeah, they wouldn't let me in. But, you know, you've got to believe in your own journey and everything happens for a reason. And wherever I went, I was supposed to go there and this and you have them. So they embraced your family really embraced.

They really did. Have you always had very old, wise head on young shoulders? I think so. You're really wise. You know, you're much older than your age, and I mean that as a compliment. I don't know about the way you look, but in your, the way you take on life and the way you are. Yeah, I think, I think so. I heard that once when I was 13.

I had a dance teacher, dancing in musical theatre teacher, and at the time she was in a wheelchair. She was older, but she was that terrifying. She would teach us to tap dance by not being able to move her legs. So I don't know how she'd done it. She was that strict. Her name was Mary Underwood. And she said you've got, you're so young, but you've got like a wise,

you're before your time. And I remember thinking, I don't know what that means, but I have been told that before, funny, even at that young age at the time. Okay, so the album, the singles, the video that you filmed in Ibiza, you're off to New York. Are we going to get some more shows in the UK next year, hopefully? I hope so.

So that's the plan. So the idea is I'm going to finish writing this album. It's all go at the minute because there's such a rush to get it out at the end of the year. You know how it is. Do you know when that's planned? September. Right. Okay.

September is so difficult. When is it ready? You know what I'm going to say when is September? It comes after August. I know. Yeah. Exactly. When is something like an album finished?

Like I won't want to let it go because I want it to be so perfect. So aim him for September, if we can. And then you just, that's it. You just pray people like it. And then you just pray a tour happens. That is what I'm hoping. I'd love a little tour again around the UK. But then go to more places that I haven't been

and see more people that I haven't been able to go and see. So, yeah, that's the plan. Well, I hope it all happens. It should all happen because you're a complete and not a delight. I love your positivity to everything. Okay, so we always like us. everybody what brings them most joy. So some people bring things in,

some people just tell us about the thing or... You know, if I could have brought Harry, my boyfriend with me, I would have bought him, but I knew you were going to ask these questions. So I actually bought something. Okay, fabulous. I bought something. And I carry this around with me everywhere. And it's very silly, actually.

No, nothing silly. There's a story for a lot of these. things in there. So when I was 12 years old, my mum and dad used to take us down to the caravan at Clecton, Clacton on sea. And you know, remember one of them little machines? He used to put a penny in and you can like, I don't know, put a stamp on it. It's my lucky penny. Oh, may I have a look? So I've had that. So you stamped. Oh, yes, and you flattened them. Yes. And it says my lucky penny on it. And I've kept it since I was 12 and it goes everywhere with me. That's lovely. Also, you're the person to bring a squashed penny in that says my lucky penny. I love that. If I was a rich girl.

There we go. Also, one of the golden buzzer flakes from VDT. No! Yeah. Oh, my word. Never forget where you come from, people. Good for you. That's lovely. Who get, who, did you pick that up yourself? Yeah, well, when I picked up at the floor. Love that. Love that. So this is a bag of precious things. Yes, yes. What else is in there? Also, um, I've got some Rose movies from my mum. Lovely. My mum with the croissant. Also, this, there is a very funny. Carmex.

Very funny story. So before I went on to my audition. Put that back in there. I don't need to lose it. Thank you very much. Before I went on, walked on the stage for my audition. Literally before I went out, I went, oh no, I haven't got any, my lips are dry. And I went, has anyone got any lip gloss?

And the runner, there was a runner. and she went, I got some Carmex. And I went, thank you, used it. And I went, I'm going to use this. Just before I walk back on, can I keep it? She went, yeah, give it to me after. I put it, I added me pocket during the audition. And then when I come off stage, Golden Baza happened,

I went to give it to her back. And I went, I went, what if this is the only reason I got that golden buzzer? I went, oh, God, I'm so superstitious, she went, keep it. That's so lovely. I had it on my body in every round of BGT. Oh, that's really precious. But what a lovely thing of her to do as well. So that's two years old.

Never been used again. But that's a lovely thing to keep. I get that. I totally get that. I'm so superstitious. I get that. Very superstitious. Those are lovely things.

Also, I done a, sorry, if we're going into it. No, no, no. Go on. So also, obviously, I done my version of Over the Rainbow. That wasn't my version. It was Lauren Al Red's version. and then we released a version together and we went on BGT, the next year, and sung it.

I went to Winter Wonderland that year that I won, and I bought this, it was a little bracelet, and I bought one for Lauren, and when I went over, I see her married in Mexico, which was lovely, and I gave it to her, so that's that as well, and also this angel that was given to me by my auntie Tina, you hold it in your left hand, and you get rid of every negative thing that you want to get rid of,

and then you hold it in your right hand and you take it in the positive and then that's with me. That's from Auntie Tina. Yeah. Auntie Tina and that is, that's my. Thank you so much. That's really amazing. That's very special. The energy in there.

My little trinkets. The hopes, the dreams, the positivity. That's, what a lovely, lovely, lovely bag of special things to bring in. Thank you for sharing. Oh, you're so well. And my mum will go, if I'm ever at a gig, I'm just, we're supposed. It's my mum's thought. I'm superstitious and she'll go, where's your bag?

Where's your little trinkets? Because she knows it calms me down. It's the funny, isn't he? No, it's not funny, but that's really lovely. But that, and it's been, there's a reason for everything being in there. That's really lovely. It's like some, it's like one person's rubbish. It's not rubbish.

It's precious. Thank you. You asked me for Christmas. Thank you very much. Now you can drink your strawberry margarita. Thank you. so much and I will enjoy it. Cheers, everyone.

Happy Rossland.