Jemma Pixie Hixon
An agoraphobic singer has become a YouTube star after attracting more than two million hits - despite not leaving her house for two years.
Jemma Pixie Hixon had the ‘most viewed’ video in the whole of China last month thanks to her online covers of pop hits filmed in her bedroom.
But despite being a household name in China and the Far East, the 20-year-old is certainly no globe-trotter, having remained in her Worcestershire home for two years because of her fear of open spaces.
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YouTube star: Jemma Pixie Hixon has racked up 2.3m views of her YouTube cover songs, despite battling agoraphobia for two years.
She said: ‘For the last two years I've been struggling with agoraphobia.
‘I used to perform all the time and I really wanted a way I could continue.
‘I decided to put my songs up on YouTube so I could share them with lots of people, even though I'm still housebound.’
Her most viewed song is an acoustic cover of Eminem and Rihanna’s Love The Way You Lie, with nearly 600,000 people watching the video.
Other popular videos include covers of Lady Gaga’s Alejandro, Bruno Mars’ Grenade and Cheryl Cole's Parachute.
Home studio: Jemma Hixon from Malvern, Worcestershire, who is agoraphobic, has become an internet sensation.
Miss Hixon, who lives in the same town as X Factor star Cher Lloyd, said that she hopes her internet fame will make it easier for her to conquer her fears.
‘In a way I think being online prepares me for the outside,’ she added. ‘You get a lot of negative comments as well as nice comments.
‘If I was able to get better - and I know it can happen - I would want to sing because all I have ever wanted to do is to be a recording artist.’
Household name: The 20-year-old's performances made her videos the 'most viewed' in China last month.
Miss Hixon, who lives with her parents, started suffering panic attacks when she was just six years old, she has explained.
'It's a strange thing because I know logically I have nothing to worry about walking out of the house but it's a completely different thing when I actually try and do it,' she commented.
'After I left school I didn't really have any reason to get me out of the house so it was easy for me to stay in.
'I wanted to go to university but couldn't because of my condition. It's had a huge affect on my life.'
Despite her condition, Jemma has a boyfriend Charlie Mills, 23, a computer engineer, who she met five years ago.
'Charlie is great and really understanding,' she said. 'We can't go on dates but he comes here and we try and have a normal relationship.'
Jemma said she last left the house two years ago and has not gone further than the garden gate ever since.
'I did try and walk outside into the garden but I can't stop the panic attacks,' she added.
'Seven months ago I was contacted by a fan who wanted to fly me to Australia so I could sing at their wedding but I had to turn it down.
'I would have loved to have gone but I just can't at the moment. I really want to beat this condition and live a normal life.
'My dream is to become a recording artist but I know I can't do that by staying in my bedroom.'
Ambition: Miss Hixon hopes her online success can help her land a recording contract
She and seven other internet singers have collaborated to produce a single entitled One In A Million to raise money for the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.
Miss Hixon said: ‘I have many supporters in Japan, some of whom were affected by the earthquake and I was so deeply saddened to wake up to the tragic news.
‘I have friends who still haven't heard from their families over in Japan yet.
‘To see so many female artists from YouTube pull together for this single is really quite special.
‘We all love music and if we can help even in the slightest by making this song, it would be truly amazing.'
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~ Courtesy of the Daily Mail.