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A classically trained singer from East Kent has recorded a soothing and angelic meditation to help people de-stress and drift off to sleep.
Laura Westcott, a creative entrepreneur, created her own vocals on a voice recorder she received for her 40th birthday in lockdown in April.
With the help of composer Chris Marshall, the former pupil of Sir Roger Manwood's School in Sandwich responded to his music with her vocals and a voice-over to create Somewhere in Time, a "supersonic musical safari of the senses".
The result is a “beautifully somniferous” piece according to comedian and broadcaster Stephen Fry who has become a mentor helping the former Finglesham resident handle the agoraphobia which prevented her from performing.
Further praise came from actress Joanna Lumley who said: “It is literally hypnotic… I felt as calm as an egg”.
"Somewhere in Time which can be listened to here, is designed to help listeners relax, de-stress and prepare for a beautiful and bountiful sleep," said Ms Westcott, who takes the stage name Aura in her meditations.
She added: "As a classically trained singer and creative entrepreneur with ADHD, I have listened to many guided meditations with music over the years to help me switch off and sleep.
"It was only when I discovered my talent for voice over, that I decided to create a series of meditations that are more collaborative between music and voice."
Her first recording, a charity track for a mental health organisation, is called Flying.
Scroll down to see the video of Flying.
Ms Westcott was delayed in recording another for two years because she did not have the technical equipment.
Her friends gave her a recorder for her birthday, knowing it would enable her to perform on her own terms through lockdown.
More meditations will follow and she revealed "some will be for sleep, some will be for focus for work and studying, others will be for improving mental wellbeing."
She told us that the collaboration between her minimalist script and the calming effects of the music works by lowering the heart rate. As the guided meditation reduces, the listener is eased into a restful sleep.
Her third meditation, Dreamland, is in the making and is an imagination journey to encourage creative thinking.
Ms Westcott, who now lives in London was able to visit her family in Eastry for the first time in months this week.
She enjoyed a socially distanced visit to Margate and took the opportunity to be pictured by the Dreamland sign ahead of the release of her next meditation.
Of the recording process for Somewhere in Time, she said: "I had loads of fun creating it. My cat even makes a guest appearance!"
It was released on May 24.
When living in East Kent Ms Westcott attended Northbourne Park, Manwoods and Christ Church University in Canterbury.
Following her role as PR manager and reviewer for The Times newspaper (London) and content editor for News Corp (New York), she founded Music for Mental Wealth to prevent mental health challenges in the music industry, after experiencing stage fright and anxiety for many years before experiencing the transformational benefits of mental health coaching.
She also created Soundcheque live events company raising awareness and funding for charitable causes through music.
She founded Songs of War for children's charity War Child and spent one week voluntarily blind before founding Sound for Sight charity for preventable blindness.
Ms Westcott most recently co-founded Phoenix Rising a global network supporting change-makers and bringing feminine energy back into leadership.
She also sings in the London Philharmonic Choir and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
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