A FORMER X Factor contestant from Cornwall is preparing to step back into the spotlight with the launch of her brand-new album later this month.

Juliet Dawn, 56, who once sang in front of Simon Cowell on the hit ITV talent show, will unveil ‘Born To Be’ on Friday, September 20, with a special celebration in The Rose Garden outside Quirky, her boutique clothing store in Looe.

Her musical career has already taken her to some of the UK’s biggest stages, including a performance at the Royal Albert Hall, and has seen her tour alongside well-known artists and sing to audiences of thousands.

The new album was recorded in Nashville earlier this year with acclaimed producer Billy Smiley and features a deeply personal touch – her 80-year-old mother plays piano on the record. Born To Be will be released first in physical format before going digital, with the debut single ‘Arise & Shine’ already available.

For Juliet, the project is about much more than music. Behind the bright lights lies a story of resilience. Over the past three decades she has endured a difficult marriage, four miscarriages, and the devastating loss of her twin boys, Louis and Elliot, following a pioneering pregnancy operation. She has also battled poisonous spider bites, survived a car crash while pregnant, and faced two nervous breakdowns.

Despite everything, she says her Christian faith and her songwriting have carried her through.

“For a long time, my life felt like it was defined by trauma,” she said. “I know what it is to live with loss, fear and shame. But I also know what it is to find hope in the darkest of nights.

“Music has been my lifeline – it gave me a way to tell my story when I couldn’t find the words, and it reminds me beauty can rise from brokenness. My faith has carried me when I couldn’t carry myself, and I believe my journey carries a message for others who feel stuck, lost or broken: you are not finished, and there is always hope.”

Juliet studied at Sheffield University before working as an entertainer in Spain. She later built a family life in Cornwall with her husband Jason while raising their three sons – Sam, Max and Leo – and continuing to write, perform and record. In 2005, she appeared on The X Factor with her sister-in-law as a vocal duo, making it to boot camp and performing for Cowell and his fellow judges.

Recording Born To Be in Nashville was, she says, a career highlight.

“It was such a privilege to record in Nashville and to bring these songs to life in such a special place,” she said. “What made it even more meaningful was having mum play piano on the album. She has stood by me through so much, and this is a project we’ll always share together.

“Everything I’ve been through could have broken me, but instead it has shaped me. My story isn’t just about survival – it’s about faith, redemption, and believing that no matter how tough life gets, you can rise again.”