Dani Rayner's Biography

She is the daughter of Weaver Vale Housing Trust chairman Jenny Rayner.

At the time of Over the Rainbow Dani Rayner was studying for her AS levels at The Grange School in Hartford.

Dani Rayner was the youngest of the Over the Rainbow finalists.

Her previous experience included singing "On My Own" from Les Miserables to an audience of over 2,000 at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.

She played the role of Dorothy in a professional local production in Chester, as well as Eponine in The Grange School's production of Les Miserables, Penny in Hairspray, and the lead role of Anne Frank in the Harlequin Players' sell-out production of The Diary of Anne Frank when she was 14 in October 2007.

Dani Rayner was a member of Stagecoach Theatre Arts and a member of the National Youth Music Theatre in 2008-09.

She also won a Cheshire FM competition in 2007 and was named "Cheshire's Next Singing Sensation".

Before the broadcast of Over The Rainbow, Dani Rayner was scheduled to play the part of Belle in Beauty and the Beast at Crewe Lyceum Theatre.