HEIDI'S HOOPER HAS THROAT SURGERY

KILLING Heidi's Ella Hooper has revealed recent throat surgery to remove a cyst almost ended her embryonic singing career.

Hooper, 18, sought medical advice after having difficulties singing during the recording of the band's second album.

"I couldn't sing the way I know I can," she said yesterday.

"So the doctors put a tube camera down my nose and found a lump on my vocal chords that was a cyst.

"The use of my voice aggravated it, and it flared up."

Before going into surgery to remove the cyst, Hooper was told there was a risk she might never sing again.

"I wouldn't feel like my life was over if I couldn't sing, but it is my favourite thing to do," she said.

"I've only just started and it's going so well."

Recording of the second Killing Heidi album, tentatively titled Damage Control, has been delayed, but the first single, Heavensent, will be released on December 10.

The new album has a tough act to follow - the band's debut set Reflector was a massive hit and scored three ARIA awards last year.

Killing Heidi were finalists in the best group category in this year's ARIA awards, but were beaten to the prize by Brisbane band Powderfinger.

Hooper and her brother, Jesse, formed Killing Heidi while the pair were attending high school in rural Victoria.

They first hit the spotlight in 1996 when a song recorded when they were just 13 and 15 found its way on to radio station Triple J's Unearthed CD.

Ella Hooper also made headlines by declaring herself the "Anti-Britney" as a protest against the dominance of teen-pop in the recording industry.