17 Oct 2026
A 14-year-old Harpenden actor, singer, songwriter and dancer is appearing in the new series of Stage Stars, which returned to CBBC on BBC iPlayer this October.
The second round of Stage Stars takes viewers behind the scenes into the lives of young performers at one of the UK’s leading performing arts schools. Elara Jagger’s story follows her ambition to become a singer-songwriter, including competing with her best friend for the lead solo in a school showcase and having her first published song Chains selected for BBC Introducing.
This summer she was lucky enough to have been offered a record deal and flew to Sweden to record her second single, Who is She? She was previously cast in The Witches at The National Theatre and featured on the original cast album.
She explained how she made the move from singing in her bedroom to performing on TV: “Honestly, it all started during Covid. I was singing along to Disney songs at home and my family realised I could actually sing! After that, everything kind of snowballed.
“I started auditioning for shows and was lucky enough to get a role in The Witches at the National Theatre. Then I auditioned for Tring Park School [a renowned local performing arts school for seven to 19-year-olds] and got picked to be part of Stage Stars, which was such an amazing opportunity.”
Although she has lots of different inspirations, she said she really admires Alex Warren and Olivia Rodrigo: “I love how honest they are in their music and songwriting.”
Most of Elara’s songs are based on her own experiences: I write about friendships, emotions and things that happen in my life. My song Chains was inspired by teenage friendships and what people my age go through.
“I listen to lots of different types of music, but my favourite is funk-pop. I love upbeat music that people can dance and sing along to.”
What has the experience been like so far? “It’s all happened so quickly and I’ve loved every second of it. Having Chains played on BBC Introducing was such a special moment because it was the first time I’d heard one of my own songs on the radio.”
“Being on Stage Stars was amazing because I got to share something I love with other young performers who feel the same way. Everyone was so supportive and it was really fun to be part of.
“Recording my next single in Sweden was honestly a dream come true. If you’d told me a few years ago that I’d be recording my own music in another country, I never would have believed it!
“I’d love to keep writing songs, performing at festivals and seeing where music takes me next.”
