12:40pm Sunday 9th March 2008
By Michelle Archard
A FORMER singer with the Southend Boys' Choir is living his dream in New York at a college which has produced big Hollywood names, including Al Pacino and Matt Damon.
Bradley White-Dale, 24, left his home in Westcliff a year ago to pursue his ambition to sing and act, signing up for a two-year course at Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in America.
He said: "I went to Durham University and did foreign languages, but I always wanted to get into music. My parents wanted me to have something to fall back on because the business is so fickle."
His seven years singing with the choir and performing at top venues, like the Royal Albert Hall and the Barbican, gave him the taste for entertaining, and by age 13 he was writing his own songs.
Bradley said: "I was really pleased to get in to the institute.
It's a really good school and a lot of famous names went there like Robert de Niro, Marilyn Monroe, Angelina Jolie and Julia Roberts.
"There are always A-listers swanning about which is surreal."
He took a break from the course and has filmed a pilot show for Bravo TV channel, called The Bachelor Pad, and is currently back in the UK to see his parents and record some new tracks.
Bradley has been recording his own music as well as musicals as he hopes to work on Broadway in the future.
He said: "I'm keeping my options open.
"Music is my first love, but I'm passionate about acting.
"I hope to finish the course and then get a working visa and really get started on my career."
The former Thorpe Hall School and Seevic College pupil likens his music to Amy Winehouse and John Legend with jazz, R&B and soul influences.
To listen to his music, log on to www.myspace.com/bradleywhitedale
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