Mississauga’s Talent: Making things happen

Published May 3, 2012 at 12:26 pm

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“I make things happen,” the words of a true rebel. That was the idea behind Wednesday’s talent show held at The Maja Prentice Theatre.

The event was held as part of the Mississauga Youths Arts Week, which runs from May 1 to 7. This new initiative, which was created this year, is a national grass roots movement bringing together young people from across Canada to join together and host the largest youth-led celebration of creative expression and community involvement. What makes this program so great is that all the events being held this week are designed for youth by youth, though anyone can either participate or host their own unique event. And that is exactly what happened on Wednesday.

Though it took a plethora of sponsors, coordinators and event partners to arrange what has been one of the best showcases of Mississauga talent to date, it could not have been achieved if not for the actual artists and performs doing their thing on stage.

The evening consisted of 16 amazing talents doing everything from singing, acting and reveling, with Sean Pinchin hosting. Pinchin, who is best known for crafting warm and soulful sounds with nothing but his voice, harmonica and slide guitar, hosted the event with great success. Not only was he motivational and supportive of all the acts through his fun and laidback demeanor, but he also put on a show that even some paid artists can’t pull off.

What was truly inspiring about the event was how young the talent was. Yes it was a youth based affair, however, to have the majority be under the age 16, is quite impressive. Even more impressive is how good these kids are at such a young age. With events like this and them taking the lead and making things happen it wouldn’t be surprising to see some of them going all the way.

This includes Nicole Monteiro, a 15-year-old singer form Iona Secondary School who has been singing for nine years. Performing Martina McBride’s “A Broken Wing”, she was confident and owned the stage as if she was meant to be there.

Other great performances included local legends Kyle Fraser, who yet again had the crowd cheering his praise. Can someone sign this kid already! If you haven’t seen him perform then you must be living under a rock. If that’s the case then go check him out immediately. Or just check the videos of him on some of our other stories.

Another must see group is newly developed Shady Palms. Consisting of two friends, the band has Kevin on vocals and Jonny on guitar. Though they only started playing together nine months ago, they have already developed an entire album worth of must listen to “scratch tracks”. Their sound is what they call electro-acoustic seasonal music that is sure to appeal to the masses.

Though there was an array of musical types, from Jordan Kenny’s Broadway performance to Alex and Michelle’s duet, the night seemed to have a lot of hip hop artists.

This included personal favorite DnA a.ka. Dren and Artem. Not only does this group write their own lyrics, but they also compose their own beats. Their passion on stage is contagious, as they have no trouble getting the whole crowd going. If you get a chance, be sure to check them out this upcoming weekend at the Limelight Arts Crawl being held at Celebration Square.

Another rap group was Definition Music who usually uses everything form spoken word to feet stomping to help bring their music to life. On Wednesday night, however, the group was shy a member and had to re-arrange their performance. Despite being shorthanded and having to freestyle on a whim, they made it happen, and isn’t that what it’s all about?

Even when you fall you have to get back up and keep going. That was the lesson 13-year-old Jerome Lemon-Allison aka C-Money learned. With this being his first time performing, he tried to do an original piece. Though he messed up a few times he never quite. The audience showed their appreciation by cheering him on and giving C-Money the support he needed as a young artist. At the end of the day, that is what all these are events are about. That is showcasing talent, but also encouraging that talent to follow their passion and see things through.

This event truly allowed that to happen. It also showed that Mississauga is breading ground for talent no matter what it is. Enter Robert Testa the illusionist. This young man is a self-proclaimed reveler who has become internationally known for his talent. More than just a magician, this illusionist incorporates comedy and excitement in his act. With a lot of audience participation he definitely knows how to entertain.

The success of this talent show proves that Mississauga really is just that: talented. Be sure to be a part of it and checkout all the other great events this youth week has to offer. Next up is Thursday nights TEDx at the UTM campus. It will feature speakers and performers of varying ages, professions and backgrounds that will provide engaging and thought-provoking speeches, along with live performances and pre-recorded videos. And don’t miss out on the Limelight Arts Crawl this Saturday.

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