Shropshire singing sensation Maisy Kay to sing for United Nations - with video

The 18-year-old from Claverley, who now lives in Los Angeles, has composed and performed the title song for the Wonders of the Sea 3D documentary.

The movie premiered in Cannes presented by Jean-Michel Cousteau and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Maisy, who attended the former Dower House School in Quatt, near Bridgnorth, before moving on to Tettenhall College in Wolverhampton, moved to America aged 13.

She will now perform her song to the United Nations next week.

“I’ve been a supporter of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for some time and it is important for me to have this amazing opportunity to work with both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean-Michel Cousteau in order to help raise awareness about the urgent need to protect our oceans,” she said.

“After listening to the beautiful original score of the film composed by Christophe Jacquelin, I was inspired to compose a song that would help convey the important message of the movie," she added.

Director Jean-Michel Cousteau said: "The soundtrack has an important part in the success of a movie and we were already fortunate to have such beautiful music.

“When I heard Maisy’s song, I immediately knew it would be a great title song for the film.

"Maisy Kay is one of the most talented young women I have ever worked with, and her potential seems boundless.”

She will perform this song at the United Nations headquarters in New York on June, 21.

The audience will consist of international luminaries, world and United Nations leadership and Hollywood celebrities.

Wonders of the Sea 3D is directed by oceanographer Jean-Michel Cousteau and Jean-Jacques Mantello and is produced by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Francois Mantello.

Her new life is a world away from the sleepy village where she was raised, but she has taken every opportunity that has come her way, she said.

"I have sung all my life and I really fell in love with it after seeing a production of Phantom of the Opera in London," she said.

"When I came to LA aged 13 with my father I was introduced to a few music executives, including Jeff Norskog, who has worked with the likes of Mariah Carey and J-Lo.

"He heard me sing one day and we discussed the possibility of releasing an album."

When she was just 10 years old she wrote her first musical, The Dragon of Mazura Mist, which was performed as a one-off show at the Dower House as part of the school's annual summer production.

She was also a member of Bridgnorth Theatre's Youth on the Steps and took her first LAMDA examination following her lead role in the group's 2008 production of Olivia.

She completed a West End stage course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, gaining a distinction, which culminated in a performance at Her Majesty's Theatre.

"I still love musical theatre and it's definitely something I want to get into in the future," she said.

"My teacher was definitely impressed with my first musical, especially as I wrote it all myself," she added.

"My single has received a good review in Vanity Fair and going forward I would like to sing more live.

"Touring the US would be great, and I still love coming back to England."