…gets music video prize and more
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - FROM a field of four competitors, 14-year-old Kaylor Bass emerged winner of the LIME Kittitian Superstar All Star Finals before an impressive audience that assembled at Carnival Village on Friday night (Nov. 9).
The young songstress wowed the audience with both of her performances, which saw her doing two Whitney Houston tunes in the two-round competition - acapella and instrumental (with music).
Second place winner was lone male competitor 14-year-old Vakiel Herbert.
The other competitors were 12-year-olds Thalia Wigley and Vinette Richardson.
The show was hosted by uprising artistes Nicha B and Rolhensha Henry (2008 Kittitian Superstar Runner-up).
In the first round Bass performed ‘I Look To You’ and then ‘I Will Always Love You’, while Herbert dished out ‘I Turn To You’ by Christina Aguilera an then ‘Stand Up For Love’ by Whitney Houston.
The first and second rounds respectively saw Wigley singing ‘It Wasn’t Easy’ by CeceViaans and You’re Gonna Love Me’ by Jennifer Hudson, and Richardson belted out Whitney Houston’s ‘I’m Wiser Now’ and ‘Greatest Love of All’.
For both of her performances, Bass moved many to standing ovation.
She won the 2011 Kittitian Superstar Junior Contest and in the previous year Herbert had won that competition and Wigley had copped the First Runner-up position, while Richardson was the winner of this year’s 10-12 age group category.
Notably, Herbert is first male to be crowned Kittitian Superstar in the nine-year history of the event.
LIME’s Marketing Manager Darien Belle announced that with her success at the event, Bass would now get the opportunity to do her own music video, which would be directed by well- known national video producer/director Nigel ‘Capo’ Lewis of Tru Capo Productions.
A representative of the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla Bank had presented Bass with a cheque for EC$800 and Herbert with another for EC$500.
Bass also won a pair of shoes from Athlete’s Foot and a $150 shopping voucher from Horsford’s for shopping at Valu Mart.
There were no representatives for TDC and St. Kitts Bottling Company Ltd. present at the event; however, the winners and non-placed participants all got their prizes from the two sponsors.
The judges had their hands filled as was indeed admitted by head judge Karina Phillip-Somersall, who declared it was a tight race leading up to the announcements.
LIME’s Marketing Manager remarked: “As a company, LIME is proud to support Kittitian Superstar. This year we came on as title sponsors because we see the potential. We see that Chico and his team are doing a good job of molding the youth…giving them some direction and a positive outlet in which to develop their talent.”
Shirna Pemberton from National Bank (a first year sponsor) said the company was very proud to be a part of the show. She was pleased with the beautiful talent showcased that night and encouraged the young singers to continue in what they are doing.
Speaking with SKNVibes, Bass said: “I feel really good that I won because I was really nervous. It was a very stiff competition. I think I did the best that I can.”
Asked about her hopes for the future as it relates to a singing career, her response was: “…that I reach far; that I continue to do the best that I can and I’m really looking forward to that music Video from LIME.
SKNVibes found out that Bass plans to have the music video done from an original song she called ‘I Will Be Heard’, which was aired on ZIZ Radio.
Brainchild and creator of Kittitian Superstar, St. Clair ‘Chico’ Guishard told this media house that “the Show was great. If I had to put it in one word, I would say awesome”.
He said the level of talent was amazing and he was pleased to so hear such amazing talent coming from young people.
In light of the negativity with some of the nation’s youths, Guishard expressed that he is happy that the public got to see that there are young people doing positive things.
He said the general consensus from the public is that the competitors did an awesome job, to which he agrees.
Additionally, he said all the competitors did their best.
Guishard opined that Bass’ second performance was especially the winning segment and noted that she was absolutely fantastic.
Friday night saw an exciting line up of performances from competitors as well as those on the sideline.
With his face made up with white powder, Hot Rod (Turkey Killer) emerged on stage as a Michael Jackson impersonator which sent the audience wild with excitement. He went all out to the part of the late ‘King of Pop’, right down to the shimmering socks and the famous white glove.
‘Michael Rod’ or ‘Micheal Killer’, as he was jokingly nicknamed by the audience, busted some dance moves and did some fancy footwork including his rendition of the moonwalk.
Uprising pop artiste-winner of ZIZ’s 50th anniversary song competition – Dejour - did a tribute to the late national artiste, Masud Sadiki, using the artiste’s ‘Stitch In Time’ tune.
The chorus of the song went like this: “Stitch in time, stitch in time, I wish the good time would just rewind…”
Some other impacting lyrics of the solemn song were: “When you smile everybody smile too. We miss you.”
Dejour also performed his popular jams, ‘Take A Ride’ and ‘Don’t Love Me’. His iRep SKN Music Group label mate, Dagah (CEO/General Manager of that music group), joined him on stage and the pair delivered ‘Get On The Floor’.
Soon there was a dancing competition among Dejour, Dagah and uprising artiste Pinocchio from ZIZ’s The People’s Show.
Dejour mimicked as if he were gearing up to ‘buss’ some major dance moves, but teasingly shuffled from side to side, while Dagah did his thing and showed the appreciative audience that he also knows a step or two.
Pinocchio on the other hand kicked things up a notch. At first he got the audience fired up when he ‘wormed’ across the floor. On his second performance onstage, he comically collected his bottle of soda from the stage side, took a sip and then trembled his body doing the ‘Big Shake’ dance which the audience loved.
During his own performance, Pinocchio asked parents for permission to allow their children to join him onstage because the segment was all about them.
Almost instantaneously the children rushed to the stage where over 30 of them, along with Hot Rod, who was recalled and still dressed like Michael Jackson, did the ‘Hoo Ha…Like Jackie Chang’ dance and, of course, the popular ‘Jump On It’ tune.
Nicha B got in on the action also as he mixed in the crowd of children, belting his ‘Bounce and Skank’ tune.
It was from among this group of children that nine-year-old Dezan Herbert - Vakiel’s brother -was discovered when he bravely showed Nicha B that he can sing along too and not just dance.
Dezan took the microphone without hesitation and quickly moved to the front isle of the stage and belted out Nicha B’s songs - ‘School Time Lover’ and ‘White Sheet’.
Nicha B challenged Dezan to see whether he knew any song by popular national artiste Infamus, to which the nine-year-old surprised him by singing one of them.
The boy even jump off stage and sang to a section of patrons, which included family members and supporters who were originally at the show cheering on his brother.
Dezan, who said he wanted to do a song, had the audience in stitches but clapping and cheering with excitement at the same time when he sang Michael Jackson’s ‘Billy Jean’.
As expected, there was a clash between Hot Rod and Dezan. Both busted the Michael Jackson moves. However, Dezan took away the spotlight according to the audience.
Dezan’s performance was well-appreciated and, with him recognising this, he enquired from the writer if he was going to get a prize for his excellent showmanship.
In response, the writer encouraged him to keep on singing and advised that it could lead to a promising career, which of course could involve getting many prizes.
Other sideshow performances were done by 2012 Kittitian Superstar six-nine age group category winner, seven-year-old Turquoisa Henry, Hotta Lyrics and impromptu audience member - a young boy nicknamed ‘Unknown’ by the show’s hosts.
Other contributors to the show included Courts, Island Bakery and Dominos.
The other judges of the night were Jason Davis, Creighton Pencheon and Pamela Wall.
