At the end of two stunning performances, eight-year-old Mico Johnson, scoring 340 in the first half and 353 in the second, walked away as king of the 6-12 category in the Richard Stoute Teen Talent Contest last Sunday night.
Delivering a scintillating performance with Amazing Grace that earned him a standing ovation, he returned to conquer with Michael Jackson’s The Way You Make Me Feel, complete with sequin vest, hat and white glove.
Reniece Bonnett, settling for third place, has the voice to take her places. At 11 years old, she picked the right song in the first half with Jennifer Hudson’s Spotlight, in which she sounded just like the singer.
The Harrison College student had 305 points to take her into the second half singing Better In Time to score 306 for a total of 611. But she was overtaken by Lekenya Prescod with Blown Away to place second.
Prescod had the Carrie Underwood song rocking out and the crowd on their feet at the end of it. The diminutive singer did Lady Gaga’s Born This Way in the first half, and was tied on 300 points with ten-year-old Malik Stuart of St Jude’s Primary who did Michael Jackson’s I Want You Back.
Crystal Lavia also was in the top of the pack with 299 points with One And Only and pulled through to place fourth with 565 points at the end.
The first half was competitive, with only one competitor out of the 13 scoring under 200 points.
In the second half, all the stops was pulled out with props and costumes. Throughout the competition, most of the singers picked the songs of foreign international artistes, with only two taking their chances with Rihanna’s: Davika Lorde trying California King Bed and Krystal Boyce, Where Have You Been?.
Even though a great effort was made by all the contestants, a problem for some was picking songs that were either too mature for them, or not suited to their voices.
Also doing two songs each were the Over-21 contestants Troy Arthur with a beautiful operatic version of I’ve Gotta Be Me and My Way, and Tricia Maynard with Ready For Love and a medley.
