This year's winner of the Limelight Quest vocalist competition is Vanessa Wittstruck.
Second place went to Dan Johnson, third was Trisha McCreery and fourth was Lorna-Jane Simmons.
All of them get prize packages - combinations of cash and professional development opportunities - but the first public appearance for any of them was front and centre at Summerfest for Wittstruck where a large downtown audience got to meet the grand prize singer perhaps for the first time. She had a daytime showcase on mainstage in front of city hall, then she was part of the city's centennial evening concerts as well on the same stage.
"I opened that night for Bright City Heights and I played one of their songs in my set - The Lumineers' Ho Hey - which kind of created that awkward moment at the big moment in their set when it was time for them to do it, they told the audience it was the same song I'd just done, but they did it differently. Then they called me up to join them on it, and I couldn't believe it, I was just so thrilled by that, to be up there with such a great band, doing one of their big numbers."
About 48 hours earlier, she got an even bigger rush. The eight finalists who emerged from the preliminary rounds of Limelight Quest got to perform a group number they co-wrote and co-performed (this was a competition requirement), then each got two songs to score audience votes with. Wittstruck said she knew, when the final notes faded from her second song, that she had nailed it. What she did not know, however, was how all the other competitors were going to fare. She had her fingers crossed for top four and dared not think past that.
"I knew that if I placed, it would put my name out there, get some gigs booked maybe, and it would be good for my career, but I was shooting for top four. I never thought I'd come first place, not even when it was all over and we were waiting to find out," she said. "Hearing my name called was the biggest thrill. My whole body was electrified. It was such an adrenaline rush."
She credited Limelight Quest operator Dawn Boudreau with adding new colours of excitement for everyone this year. Wittstruck entered the competition three years ago, at the end of her Grade 9 year, and had that experience to work with. It helped, she said, but when Boudreau made the eight finalists collaborate on the opening noncompetitive number, the mood of the group shifted. The contest had never had that feature before.
"Everyone rehearsed really hard, worked hard on their part of it. It was great to collaborate with everybody and get to know other singers in a new way," Wittstruck said. "You come from all walks of life, but you have this in common, you have music together, and that probably made this the best experience I've ever had as a performer. I think the song sounded good for the audience, and you start rooting for each other instead of against each other. I think it was a great idea, on Dawn's behalf."
Wittstruck had taken three years of vocal lessons from Boudreau, so she had that familiarity in the thick of competition as well. She also took vocal lessons from Melanie Nicol (starring tonight and through the weekend in the opera Beatrice Et Benedict being staged at Theatre North West) plus guitar lessons with nationally noted singer-songwriter Raghu Lokanathan, so she feels like she's been in the right formative company.
She has also taken part in PGSS drama productions. Last year, she was asked to write and perform an original song built into their production of The Snow Queen.
Now, thanks to the competition, she will be taking her fledgling music career - and she does want it to form some element of her professional paths in life - to the next level.
"I've emailed all the prize package providers today to figure it all out," she said. "Part of the prize is studio time at Cheslatta Records and I want to use that to put together some demo material. I'm looking forward to recording time, I've never done that before. It will be a neat experience I think."
She also has a gig booked at Shiraz Cafe in August and is looking for more opportunities.
"I would love to take singing somewhere. I love it. I love being on stage, performing for people, I sit for hours playing guitar to work songs out, and I hope it's a big part of my future. We'll see where it goes."
