Saturday, June 29, 2013

Quest for NT’s best young singer woos Casuarina shoppers

Twenty young Territorians raised the roof at Casuarina Square yesterday singing in Mission Australia's Urban Quest Semi Final.

The talented teens sang their best to secure one of ten places in the 2013 Urban Quest Finals Concert, to be held at the Darwin Waterfront next Saturday, 6 July.

Former Australian Idol judge Mark Holden delivered three touchdowns rewarding VJ Bumanlag, Tatiana Da Silva and Charlotte Gittins with their ticket into the Final.

"Darwin - Casuarina Square - a star is born," Mr Holden said about 14 year old Gittens for her memorising rendition of Regina Spektor's Samson.

“The talent this year is the best I’ve seen at Urban Quest over the past three years - it’s true,” he added.

The ten Urban Quest finalists include two performers from Katherine and Jenaya Allen from Alice Springs.

They will now receive three days intensive mentoring with Mark Holden and country singer Paul Costa ahead of the Finals Concert.

Holden and Costa will then team up with Darwin’s very own singer songwriter Dave Garnham and Music NT’s Amy Hetherington to judge the 2013 Urban Quest.

The Urban Quest Finals Concert is free for the public and will be held under the stars at the Darwin Waterfront from 6pm.

To follow the progress of the event visit facebook.com/MissionAust.

The 2013 Urban Quest Finalists are:

·         Jenaya Allen (14 years), Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College, Alice Springs
·         VJ Bumanlag (18 years), Darwin
·         Tatiana Da Silva (14 years), O’Laughlin Catholic College, Darwin
·         Brandon Folino-Driver (16 years), Darwin High School, Darwin
·         Charlotte Gittins (14 years), Dripstone Middle Collge, Darwin
·         Charlee Mullins (14 years), Taminmin College, Darwin
·         Helena Smith (16 years), NT Open Education, Darwin
·         Phoebe Wear (11 years), Larrakeyah Primary School, Darwin
·         Dakota Oxenham (13 years), St Joseph’s College, Katherine
·         Sarina Pech (18 years), Charles Darwin University, Katherine Rural Campus, Katherine