A 15-year-old super fan of Tones and I took a chance after attending one of the musicians concerts in Newcastle and that chance resulted with the 19 times platinum performer putting on two concerts for ticket holders last Friday night. Katelyn Whitehouse is normally a quiet spoken, shy teenager, however, knowing that her favourite performer and idol was in her home town brought her out of her shell with her literally bouncing with excitement. "Oh my God, she's here, she's at Young North Public School," Katelyn said awestruck. "I was literally just walking past there, we have the same pictures." That was the moment that Katelyn realised that what had started out as a hope had turned into reality. "What if I see her? What if she's here?" Katelyn and her Mum, Mary Jane sat with us at the Young Services Club, the place that would be filled to the brim from 4pm last Friday afternoon when music star Tones and I would be performing two sold out shows to over 1,000 people who were lucky enough to get tickets. Tickets sold out within four minutes last Thursday after they went on sale at 10am. "I went to her Newy (Newcastle) show and then she made a post," Katelyn said. The post from Tones and I was along the lines of encouraging fans to tag where they would like her to perform and the town with the most comments would be lucky enough to receive a visit from the performer. "I had to do it, so I went to the Facebook post and I asked Young if they could please help me out and they did," she said. Yes, they most certainly did. Three days before her arrival in Young, Tones and I announced that she is extending her Australian tour and also heading overseas next month to South Korea and Los Angeles in the USA, but only a day after (Wednesday) the singer announced she was seeing a lot of comments about Young and by Thursday she had done it, she had committed to coming to Young and performing at the Young Services Club on Friday. Following the sold out matinee and evening show Tones asked locals on Facebook about which was the best school in town for her to pop in to surprise kids. On Friday the singer visited Young North Public School with students from all of the local small schools also attending the last minute performance. "I posted it on my Tik Tok, Snapchat, Instagram, everywhere," Katelyn said. "I'm very excited but I'm so shocked and really nervous. I don't know if I should laugh or cry when I talk to her. I don't know what to do." And that is one dream that Katelyn can cross off her list. The 15-year-old has merchandise from the singer, but more than that her music has helped her and inspired her over the last few years, so getting to meet her idol is a literal dream come true and being able to make it so other young people across the community can share in her joy was an added blessing. "I was so happy," Katelyn said. Mary Jane is just as shocked as her daughter over the singer coming to Young. "I'm so proud, everything that's happened, wow, it's unbelievable," she said. Katelyn is very grateful to the local community for getting behind her, but she is also very thankful for the support and encouragement she has received from her Mum. "I want to thank everyone in Young, the Services Club," Katelyn said. "And Tones for actually coming!" From Tones and I's first single Katelyn has felt a connection to the singer's music. "When her first song Johnny Run Away released, I just loved it so much," Katelyn said. "I was trying to learn it in the loungeroom, I'd go to Mum and tell her 'I know the whole song,' and then I learned Dance Monkey." The first time Katelyn saw Tones and I perform was as the opener for P!nk. "I didn't know she was the opening act," Katelyn said. "I found out the day before that she was performing and I was like, 'Tones and I is performing?' "I was so excited, I cried when she came on." According to Mary Jane it's all the teenager talks about. "For weeks and days and months, I was starting to get a headache," Mary Jane joked. "She shows me pictures, she shows me videos, I've seen it all." On Saturday when we caught up with Katelyn was still riding the high of meeting Tones and I. "I got on stage," Katelyn said. "She's coming back to town at the end of this year! She wants me to meet her whole team and go back on stage with her."
