The Hunt For Canada’s Best New Artist competition is now into the third round of voting, which will come to an end at midnight on Thursday. They made the top five in Saskatchewan and are hoping to be voted in as the top pick in all of Saskatchewan.
Prince Albert’s All Mighty Voice is made up of Shane Lazarowich, Lucy James, Ian Dickson, Abraham Lancaster and Jordy Balicki.
With a mixture of Northern roots, gritty folk, soul and Canadiana they seem to be keeping their audience’s interest.
Originally there were more than 100 applicants from Saskatchewan, which was then narrowed to 40 and 20 and finally the final five now in the running.
“I didn’t expect that we would necessarily win,” said Lazarowich.
Being from a smaller centre than Saskatoon he is surprised that they have made it this far.
“Maybe in Prince Albert we have more support because we’re the only band … less bands competing for votes,” he reflected.
While in the last round there was one more solo artist, Allyson Reigh, who is from Prince Albert, they are not the only talent from the city.
The community seems to have really lent them their support, Lazarowich said, from people he’s never met telling him they voted for their band to being featured in both the newspaper and on the radio.
“I have a good feeling that the Prince Albert Facebook community is quite supportive,” he said.
The group used their single, Moving On as their online song entry.
“At the time we submitted it, that was our newest recording,” he said.
Moving On is also featured as the first song on SaskMusic’s In Tune 2013 compilation CD.
The band is getting some good gigs and some big goals this year.
“We’re going to play at the Juno Fest this year … We got invited,” Lazarowich said.
They also intend to finish a full-length CD this year.
“And we wanna win this contest,” he said and grinned.
“At least the Saskatchewan part,” he added.
“We’d really like to thank P.A. and all our friends around the country for their support.”
For Lazarowich this opportunity with CBC has a personal resonance.
“I really like CBC. I mean, that’s all I listen to,” he said.
The competition depends on the public’s votes.
It continues until the 24 regional finalists across the country are whittled down to the Sweet Sixteen, the Elite Eight, the Final Four and the finalists.
To vote got to CBC’s website at http://music.cbc.ca/#/Searchlight
You may vote every day from every device you have, be it your computer or your phone.
The final winner will receive $20,000 worth of Yamaha gear. All members of the group will also be put up in a hotel in Toronto from May 24-26 and will then get an audio/video recording session at a CBC location.
According the rules of the competition the total value of the final prize is approximately $36,500.
All Mighty Voice will also be playing show in Spiritwood on March 16 for St. Patrick’s Day.
