Popular singer songwriter Megan Washington performs on stage for huge audiences.

But as Australian Story reveals this week, she's been terrified of public speaking all her life.

When she was asked to be a presenter at the annual ARIA Awards the very thought made her 'feel sick'.

From the age of five, she's suffered a debilitating stutter. Years of speech therapy helped her to overcome and disguise the condition.

Then last year, she says, she wrote a song so personal it wound up changing her whole outlook on life.

As a result she decided to stare down her personal demons and deliver a speech to a capacity crowd at Sydney Opera House...