IT IS HER LIFE and there’s no denying Shadia Marshall does it her way.
And the deafening screams of the large crowd at Hilton Barbados just after midnight on Sunday when she was declared winner of the 38th annual Richard Stoute Teen Talent Contest were testimony that the crowd believed her way was definitely the best.
The winner was crowned queen from among a field of 14. She distanced her nearest rivals Naheem and Nakeem Wahid by more than 50 points with her tally of 934.
The hardest task on Sunday night was squarely placed on the backs of the judges, led by chief judge Sheldon Hope. And it was made even harder for them since all of the contestants were of the quality that any of them could have taken the top honour.
From the Wahid twins, who paid tribute to the Draytons Two with their performance of It Is Written Down, to Ashleen Rahman, who made former cultural ambassador and highly acclaimed calypsonian Anthony Gabby Carter smile broadly during her melodious rendition of his classic Emmerton, these teens pushed themselves out of the norm of the regular ballads.
However, it would be Marshall’s Broadwayesque performances of Shirley Bassey’s Diamonds Are Forever and This Is My Life that placed her ahead in the battle.
Even before she began to sing her first number, the audience had already fallen for her. She looked beautiful in her shimmering silver gown reflecting like diamonds as the light shone. Showcasing a trim physique and sporting white gloves, she was the epitome of showmanship.
While her costumes were impressive, Marshall didn’t depend on them solely to win the competition. In fact, her voice was in a category of its own. Slightly husky, her tone was strong and sultry but not forced. Hers was a dramatic persona as she executed each number with a vocal prowess that left spectators in awe.
It was no wonder that she also won the Irving Fatman Weekes Award for the Most Dynamic Performance because she energised the audience with her dynamism.
Second place and 880 points were evidence of the extremely hard work put in by the Wahid Brothers.
Barely recovered from the Chikungunya virus, which up to Sunday left them uncertain as to whether they would perform, the talented duo thrilled the audience with their incredible vocal harmonisation.
Particularly pleased by this act, which was one of the youngest, was Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, patron of the event, who was sitting in the front row enthusiastically cheering them on.
Naheem’s bass and Nakeem’s falsetto blended beautifully. These two boys can sing and When I Call On Jesus was proof of that. They were great and had the audience cheering and waving and clapping their hands.
During their tribute to the Draytons Two, they initially looked a bit stiff as one could easily see the intense concentration on their faces as they tried to remember the dance moves and lyrics. However, it is quite certain that with experience they will become more relaxed on stage and in front of audiences.
Cherish Maynard placed third with 825 points for her renditions of My Advice and I Can’t Let Go. Chereece Maynard, crowd favourite, placed fourth with 808 points. Junior Calypso Monarch and eight to 12 winner Ranaan Hackett was fifth with 795.
Other contestants were Patrona Robinson, Anita Charles, Rashida Codrington, Amanda Mascoll, Adrianna Mayers, Krystal Browne, Shardinay Worrell and Adonnia Freeman.
The finalists for the Over-21 contest are Vanessa Miller, Christopher Padmore, O’Neil Harvey, Akeri Alleyne, Jamal Springer, Melissa Small, Curtis Miller, Jonathan Jeffery, Damian Smith, Paul Legall and Ryan Eustace. The reserve is Kim St Hill-Sealy. (SDB Media)
