Page 10 FRIday, MAY 31, 2013
NEWS/features
Kathleen Decosse
Jamie Byram
Devin Fikis
daily townsman / daily bulletin
Tyrel Hawke
Kootenay’s Best Singer finals set for Saturday
The annual competition in search of the best of the best vocalist in the Kootenays comes to a conclusion this weekend at the Alliance Church in Cranbrook
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bragging rights and the title of Kootenay’s Best Singer, but on top of that they will win $1,000, 1.5 days in a professional recording studio and a chance to sing in the Kaslo Jazz Festival and the Kootenay Festival. The contestants in Kimberley are Devin Fikis and Kathleen Decosse and Cranbrook is represented by Tyrel Hawke and Jamie Byram. Each
has their own specialties so it’s anyone’s game. Our local competitors are taking on others from Nelson, Grand Forks, Creston, Fernie and Castlegar. Come to the Cranbrook Alliance Church at 7 p.m. this Saturday, June 1, and cheer for your favourite contestant and support some local artists. Tickets at the door are $10 for
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nother Kootenay’s Best Singer Competition has hit the area, searching for the one above the rest. There’s no doubt that the Kootenays is full of talent, especially Kimberley and Cranbrook with two competitors each. The winner of the competition will not only get
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adults and $5 for chidren. They can also be bought in advance at Lotus Books and CDN 2 for 1 Pizza in Cranbrook for $5 for seniors and children and $8 for adults. As of press time, Kathleen Decosse was unavailable to be interviewed. Devin Fikis Age: 15 Student at Selkirk Secondary School in Kimberley 1. What is your favourite song/band? I like Fleetwood Mac at the moment, Amy Winehouse and Hey Ocean! but that’s not a very popular band. 2. What is your music style? I will listen and try to sing anything I can, pretty much anything really except for some rap, you know. I’m pretty open about music. 3. How long have you been singing and performing? I really started singing when I was about eight. 4. Why are you so passionate about music? I don’t know. There are some times when I don’t feel like singing anymore but I get inspired when I hear other people sing passionately – about something they love or they feel. I become inspired and I feed off of that. When I was 11 or 12, I wrote a song for my dad when he moved away and I think that’s probably the most passionate song that I’ve sang. 5. What would it mean to you if you won the title of Kootenay’s Best Singer? I would be pretty happy. Gosh, I don’t know what I would do. I
just think I would be pretty happy. If I did win Kootenay’s Best Singer, I wouldn’t doubt my singing capabilities anymore because I do a lot of the time. 6. Anything else you would like to add? I’ve seen Kathleen, and she’s really good. Tyrel Hawke Age: 24 Student in Lethbridge studying for a Nursing Degree. Undergrad nursing intern at Lethbridge Hospital 1. What is your favourite song/band? My favorite artist would be Ben Folds, I fell in love with him when I was 16. His genre is known as Piano Rock. He’s the most amazing pianist I’ve ever come across. But my favorite all time song would be Wild Horses by Alicia Keys and Adam Levine. 2. What is your music style? On my own style, what I love to do, I write my own music and I’m a keyboardist and vocalist. I do a lot of a more laid-back acoustic feel to my music. I like to do acoustic covers of pop songs. 3. How long have you been singing and performing? I started piano, I think, when I was four. What really got me going was that once I got into high-school met up with Evan, the music teacher there and who is absolutely amazing and I got into the Jazz Vocal program and the music composition and technology courses. It really helped me to solidify writing as well. I’ve been doing shows ever since then. I’ve directed a jaw program out in Lethbridge for two years
now. 4. Why are you so passionate about music? I guess I’m just a stage junky. I just love to be on stage – whether it’s performing or helping with sets and different things. I think it’s an extremely positive outlet, especially as I’ve taken it through youth programs. I think it’s an amazing opportunity for children and youth to experience music because it gives you such empowerment and enlightenment. 5. What would it mean to you if you won the title of Kootenay’s Best Singer? It really would mean a lot to me. I’ve performed in Cranbrook for see what the years so it’s really great to finally be a contester and to see what the Kootenays have to offer. Now that I am moving away from Cranbrook and the Kootenays, It would make me feel complete – like I’ve finished my goals and my journeys there and so I would have an easier time departing from the Kootenays for a while. 6. Anything else you would like to add? My future goal is once I graduate my program I hope to work in Pediatric Cancer of the B.C. Children’s Hospital and I hope to get my Music Therapy diploma as well to run a children and youth music therapy program. I do have to say that the girl who got second [Jamie Byram] blew my mind, she’s unbelievable. I’ve really admired all the young singers that have come up and shown their amazing talents. There’s a lot of talent in the Kootenays.
Jamie Byram Age: 14 Student at Parkland in Cranbrook 1. What is your favourite song/band? My favorite song and my favorite band kind of go together. My favorite song is Bloom by the Paper Kites and the Paper Kites and Daughter are two of my favorite bands right now. 2. What is your music style? I like to sing everything. Right now I’m more drawn to indie music or alternative music, I guess you could say. 3. How long have you been singing and performing? I’ve been singing probably since I could talk. For all I can remember I’ve been singing in my living room and performing shows for my family. It’s really all I know. 4. Why are you so passionate about music? I’m passionate about it because I find it to be the easiest way that I express myself and I love the feeling of being on stage performing in front of people. It’s how I have kind of deal with everything. It’s just how I express myself and I want to share it with other people. 5. What would it mean to you if you won the title of Kootenay’s Best Singer? It would mean everything to me. I’ve never really known what it felt like to want something so bad until now. I’m competitive but I’ve never been passionate about sports or anything. Because music is so important to me I think it would be amazing.