The 1st Semifinal Round February 11/23 The Contestants: (back row, l-r) Jonathan Bruneau, Justin Gonzalez, James Blacktop, Jacob Nagy, Isabella Milano, Muskaan Arora, Victoria Dimitrova, Abhay Masih, (middle row, l-r) Poshika Jayaram, Ella Li, Rachel Lamsee, Catherine Tiongson, Namrita Selvaraj, Amy Arora, Nicolas Manlapaz, (front row, l-r) Vinny Wen, Oriana Chacón Galuè, Noa Golan, Alana Hough, Chloe Tiongson, Nevein Orellana, Christine David. The Judges for the 1st Semifinal round were (L-R) Alex Andronache, Summer Saiegh, Laura Cavacece, James Nickle, Marisa Oliveira and Valter Barberini. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 49
The 1st Semifinal Round While the votes were being tallied, former contestant, Patrick Lopes performed a couple of songs for the packed house, including an original tune called “Thinkin’ ‘Bout You”, co-written with and produced by Anthony Wright in SCJS Studios. Taking the remaining 2 spots in the Season 17 Semifinals were Adults Jacob Nagy and Namrita Selvaraj. Soon, Lisa and John returned to the stage to announce the names of the first 5 Finalists of Season 17. As per tradition, at the 1st Semifinal, 2 Juveniles and 3 Adults are chosen to move on. 50 The Singing Contest 2023 www.TheSingingContest.com
The 1st Semifinal Round The first Juvenile Finalists were Chloe Tiongson & Ella Li. The first Adults heading to the Finals were Isabella Milano, Jacob Nagy & Noa Golan. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 51
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The 2nd Semifinal Round March 4/23 The Contestants (L-R): Abhay Masih, Namrita Selvaraj, Justin Gonzalez, Amy Arora, Victoria Dimitrova, Vinny Wen, James Blacktop, Rachel Lamsee, Poshika Jayaram, Catherine Tiongson, Christine David, Muskaan Arora, Alana Hough, Nicolas Manlapaz, Oriana Chacón Galuè.1. Missing from photo - Jonathan Bruneau, Jacob Nagy The Judges for the 2nd Semifinal round were (L-R) Anthony Wright, James Nickle, Vanessa Casiero, Inah Canlapan and Patrick Albernaz. Both mum-to-be Vanessa and Inah are previous winners of the contest. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 53
The 2nd Semifinal Round In this round, 3 Juveniles were chosen to move to the Final. Starting off the second group of 5 Finalists, from the Juvenile category were, Catherine Tiongson, Victoria Dimitrova and Rachel Lamsee. The winners of the 1st Semifinal, otherwise known as the first 5 Finalists, returned to the stage to sing the songs they each chose to record for the Compilation Album. Clockwise from left: Chloe Tiongson, Ella Li, Isabella Milano, Jacob Nagy & Noa Golan. 54 The Singing Contest 2023 www.TheSingingContest.com
The 2nd Semifinal Round Closing out the second 5 Finalists were Adults Justin Gonzalez and Muskaan Arora. Flanked by John & Lisa, the Season 17 Finalists took their first group photo. They are Victoria Dimitrova, Justin Gonzalez, Ella Li, Muskaan Arora, Chloe Tiongson, Jacob Nagy, Catherine Tiongson, Isabella Milano, Rachel Lamsee and Noa Golan. While everyone else headed home, the 10 Finalists headed up to the Green Room to capture the cover photo for this magazine. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 55
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The Judges The panel of judges is made up of people who have professional experience within the music industry. We are very grateful to them for taking the time to help us ensure the winners have the right balance of talent, technique and showmanship. Unless they need to break a tie, we prefer that they give us their own personal opinion rather than a combined judges’ decision. We suggest basing their votes on the following criteria: 1. Singing in key - 40% 2. Emotional expression, do they “connect” with the song - 30% 3. Tone/timbre of voice - 20% 4. Stage performance, do they look comfortable on stage - 10% There are definitely some other factors that might make them lean towards one contestant’s performance over another’s, so we ask them not to ignore their own “bottom line” as well. This season, we enjoyed a mix of brand new faces alongside returning members of the judges’ panel. Let’s meet them… Chantal Preston is a singer/songwriter who was only 17 years old when she started booking her own gigs, performing a wide variety of covers including pop, rock, alternative, country but always incorporating her own original songs. Her first EP ‘‘Call You Later” spawned the single “Just Wing It” which played across Canada and got picked up internationally as well. She soon followed her dreams to Nashville in pursuit of a publishing deal, spending a few years travelling back and forth between Toronto and Nashville. She eventually signed with Trevor Shelton’s label, Rammit Records. Of course, the pandemic slowed her gigs but not her writing. Chantal has released 2 singles since then, “Heart of Gold” and “Girls Can Be Toxic”, both of which have accompanying videos on YouTube. Summer Saiegh is a singer and actress with over 10 years of stage experience, having performed in various musicals for prestigious performing arts companies across Ontario. She also holds B.A.s in Arts and Education and a Master’s in Education, along with Ontario teaching certification. She studied under renowned doctors in voice and is, herself, a passionate conference speaker sharing her voice on the transformative power of the arts. Summer is also the Director of SPARKLE Performing Arts Studio, a multidisciplinary, audition-based performing arts studio offering private instruction in vocal, drama, public speaking, audition techniques and performance development. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 59
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The Judges Laura Cavacece is a recording artist, songwriter, actress, producer and performer. She has worked with the likes of BareNaked Ladies, Jeff Healey, Bryan Adams and more. She is fast becoming one of Canada’s most prominent singer/songwriters, spending a lot of her time honing her craft in the North American songwriting capital of Nashville. Laura entered the music industry at a young age, winning multiple significant vocal competitions which put her in the spotlight very quickly. Undoubtedly those early experiences inspired her to develop her own very successful singing contest called “Hidden Talent” which ran for over 8 years. She is also a very talented vocal coach. We can personally attest to that because many of our previous contestants have been her students and we’ve had the pleasure of seeing them develop with her. Parm Sarai, better known as SARAI, is a Producer/Engineer, Songwriter & Programmer. He made his professional debut in 1998 and within no time, had multiple projects appearing on MuchMusic and in regular rotation on radio. Working within a variety of genres from pop to urban and the South Asian scene, he made a name for himself on an international scale. Here at home, he was awarded a Canadian Screen Award in 2015 for “Best Original Song in Film” for the song “Dal Makhani” which was 1 of 3 songs he co-wrote and produced for the film “Dr. Cabbie”. Miguel Domingos can play a myriad of instruments and he is also a singer, as the audience was thrilled to discover during one of the breaks this season! Along with performing, Miguel teaches music & voice. He is also a conductor and has been the “maestro” to some of the best concert bands in the Portuguese community in Toronto. For more than 20 years, he led the renowned Banda Do Senhor Santo Cristo and he has been the leader of the band at St. Helen’s for the past 6 years. We have been pleased to have Miguel give us a hand many times throughout the years. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 61
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The Judges Henrik Cipriano is a singer/songwriter who has been performing for more than 30 years as a solo artist as well as fronting popular bands based in communities in and around Montreal and the GTA. Currently, he is lead singer for the highly sought after show band, “Mexe, Mexe”. He has released several albums and has performed all around the world. Not only does Henrik have a great voice, he is also a talented comedian, an all-round entertainer. We really appreciate the time he has been able to offer us over the many years. Trevor Shelton is a record producer and owner of Rammit Records, an indie label with a catalogue of over 200 released songs of various genres including Rock, Pop, R&B, Dance, Hip-Hop and Alternative, many with worldwide distribution through A&M/Polygram, Universal and BMG. Trevor is also the President and founder of the Urban Music Association of Canada, home of the Canadian Urban Music Awards, as seen on CBC television. He assisted in creating the Recorded Music Production and Audio Engineering program at The Trebas Institute, where he continues to share his knowledge of the music industry with students and future entrepreneurs. Over the years, he has shared his music production skills with artists from Marvin Gaye to Shania Twain. Trevor has graciously filled a seat at the judge’s panel many times. Inah Canlapan grew up performing in festivals and community events within the GTA’s the Filipino community, including being the opening act for multiple Filipino artists who toured Toronto. In high school, she was in a Regional Arts Program, specializing in Vocal Music and she continued performing while at McMaster University as part of their show choir, Absolute Pitch. She worked for almost 10 years as a voice and performance coach. She's written and recorded with colleague Ian Madden and Arkells’ drummer Tim Oxford for their band Sea Machine, while enjoying the opportunity to work with legendary Canadian engineer and producer, Alfio Annibalini of Envy of None. Lastly, Inah was one of the winners of Season 8 and has been a member of our judges panel many times. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 63
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The Judges Vanessa Casiero is a singer/songwriter whom we first met 10 years ago when she joined the Juvenile category in Season 7. In Season 10, she returned to join the Adult category and ended up winning first place. She wrote and recorded an 8 song album with Tal Vaisman. She has performed on many stages around southern Ontario both as a solo performer and as a former member of the girl group Uniqu3. We definitely enjoyed having Vanessa around this year, helping the contestants backstage and performing during the breaks but since she is more than qualified to join the judges’ panel, we were very happy to have her help there as well. Mike Sleath is a gifted drummer & percussionist who earned his stripes touring and performing with Camilla Cabello, John Mayer, Khalid, Zedd, Conor Maynard, Miley Cyrus, Francesco Yates, Cody Simpson and Shawn Mendes, among many others. He has performed on countless network television programs and award shows including The Grammys, The Junos, the VMAs, the MMVAs, SNL, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Ellen and many more. He has played on multiple recordings including a rock remix of Katy Perry's hit single "I Kissed a Girl", produced by Matt Squire and Dr. Luke. He has also done a number of live studio recordings with several developing and established artists from around the world including Shawn Mendes MTV Unplugged. Mike has been featured in publications such as The Modern Drummer, Drumeo, Rolling Stone, The Digital Drummer, Canadian Musician and many more. For over 5 years, Mike has been the full time touring drummer for Shawn Mendes. Prior to that, he spent 2 seasons backing The Finalists in the SCJS Orchestra. We are always happy to make room for Mike at the judges’ table. PROPERTY RENTAL & MANAGEMENT John Ramos Canuva Property Management Corp Providing full services to Landlords [email protected] 416.888.2966 www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 65
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The Judges Alex Andronache has been in the music industry for more than 40 years as an artist manager, talent agent, concert promoter, event production coordinator, live sound engineer, tour manager, tour accountant, record producer and more. He has worked with artists such as The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, Supertramp, Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac, The Bee Gees, and many others. He has toured with Genesis, Kiss, Dionne Warwick, Jose Feliciano, Sha Na Na, Ted Nugent and the iconic Canadian rock trio Triumph. Alex eventually settled down and for 20 years he was the studio manager of Mississauga’s Metalworks Studios, helping it grow from a one-room private studio to a five-room multiple award-winning, world-class recording facility. Alex professionally guided the careers of countless musicians, engineers, and record producers and was an education counsellor and spokesperson for award-winning Metalworks Institute of Sound & Music Production where he has also taught Event and Tour Management. We are very grateful for Alex’s dedicated participation as a judge. Patrick Albernaz is a keyboardist/accordionist/composer from Toronto. As a child, Patrick began studying piano at the Ontario Conservatory and went on to complete the Grade 8 RCM exam. He later attended Humber College, completing his Bachelor of Music. While there, he studied privately with pianists Anthony Panacci, Gord Sheard and Hilario Duran. He has recorded an album and various singles as part of Damien Rattler & the Electric Soul Circus, all of which are available on major online platforms. He has also recorded is own EP entitled “The Beginning” and played piano on an album by Lindsey Camara entitled Speak Low. He is regularly involved in many projects; two of which are as an accordionist in the trio Pernambahia and in another group called Maria & the Band. Both of those bands specialize in forró music, which originates in Northeastern Brazil. He also plays keyboard & accordion for the Portuguese band Starlight. Along with private and on-call gigs, he performs regularly during weekly masses at St. Helen's and St. Mary of the Angels parishes. His musical experience and passion for live performance allow him to seamlessly fit into a wide variety of musical styles with high energy, making him a welcome addition to any stage. Patrick will not be able to share his judging skills as part of the panel at the Final because he will be sharing his musical skills as a member of the SCJS Orchestra, backing the Finalists at the Grand Finale for the first time since 2019! www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 67
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The following judges will be seated front and centre at the Season 17 Grand Finale. Most of them have heard all of the Finalists already and will be able to see who pulls off their best performances of the season, who shows marked improvement and who consistently performs with seemingly effortless talent. We also have new ears that have yet to hear from any of our performers. Our experience is that a combination of perspectives tends to give the best results. Ultimately, each judge is seeking to be inspired by one outstanding performer in each category. The Judges The Final Judges James Nickle is a singer/songwriter as well as an award-winning music producer and filmmaker from Vaughan,Ontario. James has worked with top names in the music industry including Grammy award winners. James is the owner of “Cleveland Sound Lab” recording studio in Vaughan and he produces over 200 songs annually for artists, films, and commercials. His productions have tracked on radio in major markets around the world. He is also an established filmmaker, working on full-length motion pictures, TV commercials, and music videos with millions of views. We first welcomed James to the panel this season and he was able to judge at most of the rounds, including the Semis. Nadia Dolce is an award-winning international singer-songwriter. Originally known for dance-pop & EDM, she has received national & international airplay for her various singles including MC Mario’s “El Gitano” remix. Born and raised in Montreal and of Italian descent, Nadia is a multi-lingual artist who writes and performs in English, French, Italian and Spanish. Her proudest accomplishments are winning Superfantastico and representing Canada in the 2017 International singing competition "Il Canta Giro" in Italy. Nadia continues to teach vocals and performance, as well as her own success and personal development program which inspires others to live with passion. Nadia was only with us at the first round this season so many of the performers will be new to her. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 69
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The Judges Valter Barberini has around 30 years of experience in the music industry. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, he traded in his toys for musical instruments at a very young age. Always fascinated by music, he began composing at age 14, inspired by his idols, The Beatles. Formally educated in advertising and marketing, he worked in graphic design and video editing as well as performing in many bands around São Paulo on guitar, bass, keyboards and vocals. Also a lover of electronic music, he is skilled in midi programming and working with digital audio workstations. In 2012, Valter was the author and musical director of the first theatrical presentation for Brazilians in Canada, "Se essa rua fosse minha" which played 4 shows at the University of Toronto. He spent many years at the helm of one of the most popular and revered publications for the Brazilian community in Canada, O Jornal da Gente. He also produces and edits various pieces for television broadcast. Currently, he is focused on recording and producing jingles for radio. He and his wife Marisa Oliveira also perform regularly around town. Valter is an experienced member of the judges’ panel and we are fortunate that he is able to join us at the Final. Marisa Oliveira is a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil. She studied theatre formally and is an actress & singer with a passion for Bossa Nova & Jazz. She has appeared in various TV shows and films. As a singer, Marisa has performed in many venues around southwestern Ontario, including Toronto’s Lula Lounge and for many multicultural events such as Brasilfest. We first met her in 2011 when she signed up as a contestant. She did very well in the contest and eventually became an emcee for SCJS TV, interviewing contestants and judges during the qualifying rounds and presenting at the Finals. Her experience within the contest makes her a particularly valuable member of the judges’ panel. Marisa was present at many of the rounds this season, including the 1st Semi. Mississauga Ward 1 Councillor Our Community is our Home Our Community is our Home 300 City Centre Drive, 3rd Floor Mississauga, ON L5B 3C1 Telephone: 905-896-5100 Mobile: 647-289-2922 [email protected] www.StephenDasko.ca @DaskoWard1 DASKO Stephen www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 71
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Paula Griffith is an international singer and vocal coach, known for her strong, pure voice which allows her to sing and teach powerfully in the styles of R&B, Pop, Gospel, Jazz, Musical Theatre and Rock. A veteran of the music industry for over 20 years, Paula’s credentials and the success of her students have made her one of the top vocal coaches in North America. She was head vocal and performance coach on Y.T.V.’s #1 hit reality show ‘The Next Star’ and was vocal coach and consultant in the artist development programs for Arrival Music in association with Sony Music Canada. She is vocal coach to many Broadway and musical stars such as Jenna Weir (“Matilda” in Matilda at The Ed Mirvish Theatre / “young Elsa” in Frozen on Broadway). She is currently teaching Jayd Deroche who starred in Joseph and The Technicolour Dreamcoat. Paula is a classically trained singer and a graduate from The University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. She is also a certified Specialist of Vocal Styles from The Berklee College of Music. As a leading international expert in vocal training, Paula was the Professor of Vocal Studies at Seneca College and created a one-of-a-kind curriculum that is the first Pop, R&B, Contemporary vocal program accredited by a college or University in Canada. Paula’s unique vocal methods are proven to produce amazing and fast results. As the head vocal coach at the Grammy Award Winning studio Cherry Beach Sound, Paula is able to help celebrities and aspiring singers achieve their highest potential. Her new product line for aspiring and established singers is called “Pure Voice’, a revolutionary vocal instructional audio and workbook to help singers experience their own vocal breakthrough. Paula is new to the panel for Season 17 but was a previous judge at the Season 13 Grand Finale. Anthony Wright is a composer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist who grew up surrounded by music. At 14, he was already playing with members of the Isley Brothers and Surface, and by 16, he was the staff arranger for Busch Garden’s Starlight Orchestra. He excelled in his studies of “Jazz Arranging & Composition” at the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music, in his native Virginia and eventually joined to the cruise ship industry where his skills led him to become Carnival Cruise Lines' youngest Musical Director. To this date, Anthony is responsible for almost half of Carnival’s written shows. He also developed talent as a DJ on the ships, becoming internationally renowned and playing major clubs in Miami, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Los Angeles & New Orleans. He currently runs a company offering DJ services to various venues across Toronto. Anthony composes/arranges/performs all over Canada. He played with Canadian Idol Eva Avila, joining Beyonce for her I Am Sasha Fierce Tour. As a musician/arranger for CTV's The Launch, Anthony arranged live performances and played for names such as Bryan Adams, Jon Levine, Nile Rogers, Scott Borchetta, Fergie, and Ryan Tedder, to name a few. He is also a talented producer, working with B.o.B., Flo Rida, Jadakiss and, most significantly for us, the 1st place winners of Seasons 13 through 16 of this contest! We are very happy to say that Anthony will also be producing the winners of Season 17. Anthony was present at many of the rounds this season including the 2nd Semi. The Judges www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 73
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The following musicians make up this Season’s SCJS Orchestra, the band which accompanies the Finalists: • John Santos - keyboards • Patrick Albernaz - piano/keyboards • Pat Daniher - drums • Dave Kirby - guitars • Pedro Joel - bass You already know who John Santos is and we introduced you to Patrick Albernaz in the Judges section. Let’s get to know the rest of the band… Pat Daniher is a 2016 graduate from Humber College’s Bachelor of Music program where he studied with many of Toronto’s finest musicians, including drummers Barry Romberg, Ben Ball, Mark Kelso and Paul Delong. During his time at Humber he was the recipient the 2014 Norman Marshall Villeneuve Award, as well as the 2015 Yamaha Music Canada Scholarship. He has performed extensively over the past six years with various pop, rock and jazz projects in Toronto and Montreal and is currently at work composing his own original material. Pat has been the SCJS Orchestra’s drummer since the Season 10 Finale in 2016. Dave Kirby is a freelance professional guitarist from Toronto, Canada. Over the span of his career, Dave has performed with many internationally recognized artists across a range of genres from pop music with Johnny Orlando and Scott Helman to country music with Madeline Merlo and Tebey. Dave received his BMus from Humber College in Toronto in 2012. Pedro Joel is a bass player with more than 20 years of experience performing in bands for a wide variety of events and concerts. His background in latin music gives him a unique perspective on rock and jazz. Born in Portugal, Pedro has been living in Canada since 2006 and is still excited to continue exploring new styles and sharing his music with the world. SCJS Orchestra www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 77
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The Finalists - Juvenile Category Catherine Tiongson was born in Toronto to Filipino parents. This grade 4 students started singing at 2 years old. She has taken voice lessons, piano lessons and has attended the Josie De Leon Performing Arts school. She loves to spend her time swimming, drawing and, of course, singing! Her goal is to become a professional singer someday. Her favourite artist is Ariana Grande. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 79
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The Finalists - Juvenile Category Ella Li was born in Toronto to Chinese parents. She is currently in grade 5 and began singing when she was 8 years old. She has lessons in piano (RCM 9) and harp (RCM 6). She started taking ballet at age 4 (RAD 4) and also learns Chinese dance (level 7). Her other hobbies include kung fu, arts & crafts, acting, travelling, reading and coding. Her goal is to always bring her best performance to the stage and use her voice to inspire and make people happy. Her favourite artists include Sia, Beyonce, Sara Bareilles and Adele. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 81
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The Finalists - Juvenile Category Rachel Lamsee was born in Toronto to Israeli and Canadian parents. This elementary school student has had vocal training at Spotlight Academy. Aside from singing, her hobbies include playing tennis, skiing, piano, guitar, writing, baseball, basketball and dancing. Her goal is to be a singer/songwriter. Her favourite artists are Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 83
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The Finalists - Juvenile Category Victoria Dimitrova was born in Toronto to Bulgarian parents. She has been singing for the past 5 years and takes lessons at Spotlight Academy. When she’s not singing, Victoria enjoys dancing and playing piano. Her goal is to win the contest. Her list of favourite artists includes SZA, Celine Dion, Amy Winehouse and Bruno Mars. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 85
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Chloe Tiongson was born in Mississauga to Filipino parents and is currently in grade 7. She has been singing for as long as she can remember but began taking lessons at age 7. Her musical training also includes the Josie De Leon Performing Arts school and piano lessons. Besides singing and playing piano, she also enjoys drawing and listening to music. Her future goals include winning the contest, becoming a successful singer and taking care of her family when she’s older. Her favourite artist is Celine Dion. The Finalists - Juvenile Category www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 87
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The Finalists - Adult Category Muskaan Arora was born in India and moved to Canada with her parents as a child. One of the ways she maintains a connection with her roots through studying Indian classical voice. She is also currently studying Astronomy and Physics as she works towards her Honours Bachelor of Science, with a minor in Music, at the University of Toronto. She enjoys spending time travelling, cooking, learning piano, poetry and songwriting. She does hope to become as professional singer some day, making her own music and working with her favourite artists like Arijit Singh and Sunidhi Chauhan. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 89
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The Finalists - Adult Category Justin Gonzalez was born in Toronto to Ecuadorian/Argentinian parents. This high school student is fairly new to singing. He is self-taught but has definitely picked up a few things from his choir teacher at school. His hobbies include listening to music, singing and playing instruments. He is also a big Formula One fan. His musical goals are to become a famous singer but his aspirations also include being a good instrumentalist, especially piano. Some of Justin’s favourite artists are Michael Jackson and Tyler, the Creator. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 91
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The Finalists - Adult Category Isabella Milano was born in St. Catherines to Colombian & Italian parents. She began singing at age 5 and has studied voice extensively (RCM 8). She is also currently in her first year at the University of Toronto working on a Bachelor’s of Music in Western Classical Voice. She is a pianist, too, having passed the Canada Conservatory grade 8 exam. Her other hobbies include guitar, public speaking (in English and French), debate and interviewing people on her YouTube channel. Her goal is to record original music, perform onstage with bands and to thrive as an independent artist. Her favourite artists include Tori Kelly, Lara Fabian and Celine Dion. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 93
Kevin Meirinho B. 416-255-4546 C. 416-560-2200 F. 416-255-9584 E. [email protected] 24 Jutland Rd., Unit A Etobicoke, Ontario M8Z 2G6 94 The Singing Contest 2023 www.TheSingingContest.com
The Finalists - Adult Category Jacob Nagy was born in Toronto to Jamaican/Estonian/Hungarian parents. He began singing in choirs at age 8 and was in a musical theatre program in High School. He is also a new member of Toronto’s Forte Chorus. Jacob is a Harm Reduction Worker and is studying at George Brown College in the Community Worker/SSW program. On his time off, he enjoys cycling, piano, travelling, hikes, skiing, meditation and spending time with his dog and loved ones. Jacob would like to establish a career in music with albums, performances, the works! His favourite artists include Taylor Swift and Alanis Morissette. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 95
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The Finalists - Adult Category Noa Golan was born in Israel. She started singing at age 2. She has had no formal musical training but comes from a family that loves to sing. She has a degree in marketing and currently works in that profession. Her hobbies include playing piano and guitar, dancing, cooking and travelling. Her goal is to tour the world some day! Her favourite artists include Jojo, Christina Aguilera, Ariana Grande and Whitney Houston. www.TheSingingContest.com The Singing Contest 2023 97
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