A SHENFIELD song-stress who preferred to sing in her bedroom than hit the town at weekends is “loving life” after winning a place in the finals of X Factor.

Lucy Texeira, one half of duo 2 Shoes, will be performing to an audience of millions on Saturday night as the live finals of the hit show get underway.

Viewers saw the former St Martin’s School student’s reaction to the good news with bandmate, Charley Bird, 23, of Langdon Hills, Basildon, on Sunday night as judges, Gary Barlow, Louis Walsh, Tulisa Contostavlos and Kelly Rowland, revealed their final fours.

The girls impressed their judge, Tulisa, and fellow Essex girl, Jessie J, who joined the N Dubz star in Greece for the final selection. They sang a soulful version of Tick Tock by Kesha.

Lucy, 22, is now living with the other 15 finalists in the luxury X Factor house in Hertfordshire, but her mum, Tracy, of Hutton Road, Shenfield, has spoken of her own excitement following her daughter’s success. “It’s so exciting and very surreal at the moment,” she said.

“From day one I knew they would get there. They have auditioned before but this year was just different. There was a big interest from the start, it’s been amazing.”

Tracy, 52, who will be at Saturday’s show, said the bubbly girls, who met through performing at various venues across Essex, deserve their success.

She added: “I’m so proud and so pleased for Lucy because it’s always what she’s wanted. She keeps saying ‘I’m loving life’, she loves everything about it.

“It’s her dream and the fact they’re doing it together and sharing the experience is nice.”

Lucy grew up in Hutton and moved to Shenfield two years ago. She attended St Joseph the Worker Catholic Primary School, in Rayleigh Road, Hutton, and then St Martin’s School, in Hanging Hill Lane, Hutton.

She has worked at the Fragrance Shop in Brentwood’s Baytree Centre since.