SINGER Tarjah will be flying the flag for Manchester next week at the prestigious MOBO Awards.

The 24-year-old, from Old Trafford, was chosen to sing at the glitzy music ceremony from more than 1,000 entrants in the unsigned category of the competition.

The MOBO Awards, founded five years ago, have played a major role in highlighting the influence of music of black origin.

Winners receive a recording contract with London-based Go Beat Records and the chance to join the biggest names in the pop industry.

Tarjah, whose real name is Lorraine Farquharson, has been singing since the age of 13 and works part-time at a bar in Old Trafford to help finance her pop star dream. She said: ''Although the competition is bound to be tough, because there are entrants from all over the UK, I have a strong feeling that I am going to win.

''I feel really privileged to be representing Manchester because the city has a lot of very talented singers who have yet to be discovered and I'd love to be the one to start that process.''

Tarjah will be singing a song she wrote called Give You Back Your Name. She said: ''It is a dream come true for me to be involved in the MOBO Awards. It is something I watch on TV every year wishing I could be there and now it's going to happen.

''I have been given a great chance to show people what I can do and I'm going to give it my best shot.''

The annual ceremony celebrates the achievements of artists in R & B, reggae, dance, drum and bass, jazz, gospel and hip hop. The music types represent some of the biggest selling music in the UK and around the world. Previous MOBO winners include: Tina Turner, BB King, Fatboy Slim and Beverley Knight.

This year the MasterCard MOBO Awards is being held at the London Arena, Docklands, because organisers needed a big venue.