Edinburgh 11-year-old’s song to go on Sandy Hook charity album

A SONG by Edinburgh’s 11-year-old singing sensation Saskia Eng has been included on an album dedicated to the victims of the Sandy Hook school massacre.

Saskia, who was tipped for stardom by Britain’s Got Talent judge David Hasselhoff at the tender age of nine, is the only non-adult and the only Scottish act to contribute to the project.

All proceeds from Songs for Sandy Hook Volume Two will be donated to Danbury Hospital in Connecticut, which is providing medical care and counselling to all those affected by the shooting.

The album features tracks by Grammy Hall of Fame inductees The Dixie Hummingbirds, singer/songwriter Mike Schmid, who has provided backing vocals and played keyboards for global superstar Miley Cyrus, Los Angeles Philarmonic Orchestra violinist Lili Haydn, who has also provided support for stars such as Sting, Seal, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, Michael “Mike” Viola, who sang the Oscar-nominated title track from Tom Hanks’s That Thing You Do! and Chicago folk rock singer Michael McDermott, who has inspired the writing of blockbusting horror novelist Stephen King.

Volume Two was released on Christmas Day, less than a week after the first volume became available. The project was organised by artist Manda Mosher, a recipient of multiple Los Angeles music awards.

Saskia, who lives in Balgreen and will be attending Roseburn Primary in January, first discovered her talent while singing along with the radio at the age of eight.

Her father Tony, 48, a self-employed construction worker, said: “What happened was such a tragedy and it’s very humbling to be asked to be involved in something like this.

“The song they are using is an original track written by Saskia’s mum and uncle, called “You’re Not Really Gone”. We put the track online about six months ago and it’s been gaining popularity ever since. Then we were contacted through Facebook by the people putting the albums together.”

Saskia first entered the public eye when she auditioned for Edinburgh’s Got Talent in 2010. Although she was then too young to go forward for the competition she was marked as one to watch, quickly making good on her promise when she made it to the final 200 for Britain’s Got Talent 2011.

Just over a year later Saskia has gone from strength to strength, wowing thousands of Hearts fans when she performed Don’t Stop Believing by Journey at Tynecastle and even collecting up to £100 an hour while busking for crowds during the Edinburgh Festival.

But the youngster hasn’t let all the attention go to her head, saying she is just pleased to be able to support such a good cause.

She added: “It was terrible what happened, and I’m so happy that there’s some way I can help. If you listen to the lyrics of the song they are extremely meaningful.”

• The albums can be downloaded at www.songsforsandyhook.bandcamp.com and you can also find the song on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rZKz4P0cxs