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Winnipeg girls vie to be next YTV star

Two 15 year olds join four other finalists

By: Melissa Martin

Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012 at 9:49 AM | Comments: 0

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Issy Dahl

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Grace Johnston

Two Winnipeg teens are one step closer to living out their spotlight dreams in front of a national audience.

On Monday night, Issy Dahl and Grace Johnston, both 15, were named among the final six contestants on YTV talent-search show The Next Star.

The girls will now compete against four other young singers and dancers from across Canada for a Sony Music recording prize and other schwag.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen," Dahl raved from Toronto, a few days before the episode aired. "I never expected to come this far; it was more I thought I'd just give it a shot and see what happens."

The teens took slightly different paths to make it to the home stretch. Johnston, a Gordon Bell High School student with a knack for the ukelele, sailed through her Winnipeg audition to land her spot in the top 12, and then moved into the final group.

Dahl was originally eliminated, but her passionate rendition of Alicia Keys' song I Ain't Got You stuck in the judges' minds. They ended up bringing her back to the show in a wild-card spot and she ran with the chance to make it to the final six.

Hey, it's always tough to make the cut. This was Johnston's third time trying out for the show, which is in its fifth season. Getting a "no" from judges in years past left her undaunted, she said. Instead, she turned her attention to acting at the Manitoba Theatre for Young People and preparing for her next shot at national stardom.

"I knew I wanted to do music for my life, so I don't think just one 'no' would ever discourage me enough to make me quit," said Johnston, who got to visit Toronto for the first time to participate in the show. "It pushed me enough to improve my vocals."

There are plenty of challenges ahead for the girls. The show sends its youthful competitors through what it dubs "superstar boot camp," as they are pressed to learn everything from choreography to how to film a music video.

Every step of the way they will be mentored by Canadian entertainment stars and watched over by judges, including pop chanteuse Keshia Chante and country star Tara Oram.

"It opens up so many doors," said Dahl, who will be attending Miles Macdonell Collegiate when the show is over.

"This competition is just a really good head start and after this, I'm just going to keep working hard. I want this really bad. I want to do something in this industry for my whole life. It's not going to be easy, but I'm going to make it happen."

Fans will be able to meet the girls in person later this month, when Dahl and Johnston hold an autograph-signing session at the Sears in Kildonan Place on Saturday, Aug. 25 at 2 p.m.

After that, the sky's the limit. While relaxing with her fellow contestants in Toronto, Johnston said she could imagine herself living and singing under the big lights of the Big Smoke.

"I really like the rush of the audience looking at you, and I love the lights," she said of playing on the YTV stage. "It makes me feel very powerful -- like a superstar."

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca

History

Updated on Tuesday, August 7, 2012 at 9:40 AM CDT:
Picture added

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