US Voice winner was a pupil at Trinity School

Jamaican-born Tessanne Chin, who was recently announced as the winner of the US version of popular TV show The Voice, attended Trinity School from the ages of 11 to 18 before she moved back to her birth country when her mother and father separated.

Her older sister Terrie Williamson, who lives in Leamington and owns Flirt Lash and Blow Dry Bar in Park Street, spoke to the Courier before she jetted off to celebrate with Tessanne this week.

Terrie said: “I’m hoping I can bring her back down to earth a bit but so sweet antway and she’s just a natural girl and is really grounded.

“Her personality on the show was one of the things which drew the viewers to her and one of the TV stations asked her to come back to do another interview because they liked her so much.

“She just comes across really well.”

Tessanne had already topped the iTunes chart with three of her performances on The Voice before she was crowned the winner of the show in the star-studded finale on December 17.

Tutored by Maroon Five singer Adam Levine, Tessanne gave show stopping performances of hits such as Whitney Houston’s I Have Nothing, Simon & Garfunkle’s Bridge over Troubled Water and The Beatles’ Let it Be on her way to the final.

She also fulfilled a dream she told her sister about at the age of 12 by performing with her idol Celine Dion .

After her victory was announced, Tessanne debuted her first US single Tumbling Down.

She later had the honour of singing in New York’s Times Square on New Year’s Eve and at the New Year’s day celebrations in Passadena

Terrie said: “The show really gave her a springboard to show the versatility of her voice.

“She didn’t want to just be thought of as a reggae singer because she can sing those really big songs and adds her own flavour to them.”

Also the younger sister of singer-songwriter and dancer Tammar Anika Chin, who goes by the stage name Tami Chynn, it is clear that music is in Tessanne’s blood.

Her father Richard Chin works in the music industry in Jamaica and has a recording studio.

Jamaican reggae artists Sean Paul and Shaggy are friends of the family and it was the latter who first brought Tessanne to the attention of the show’s judging panel, which includes Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green and Blake Skelton.

Tessanne is planning to visit her family in Leamington later this year.