Northern Star finalists chosen in regional contest
THIRTEEN SINGERS performed Saturday night in the central Aroostook Northern Star competition. Now in its 11th year, the singing contest is a fundraiser for the United Way of Aroostook. Pictured are, from left, front row: Paula Jamieson of Caribou; Jake Graham and Sydnee Waters, both of Mapleton; Allyson Plummer of Washburn; and Denise Michaud of Van Buren. Middle row: Stu Wyckoff, Charles Munn, Kacie Chapman and Nicole Adams, all of Presque Isle; and Amelia Roy of Limestone. Back row: Austin LaPlante, Jayden Pimental and Kianah Pelletier, all of Caribou.
Staff photos/Scott Mitchell Johnson
SERVING AS JUDGES during the central Aroostook Northern Star competition Saturday night were, from left: Melbourne Smith, Tamia Glidden and Gary Bowden. Heading into Sunday’s finale, Smith has been coaching “Team Mel,” which consists of Jake Graham and Nicole Adams, while Glidden has been advising “Team Tamia,” which is comprised of Kacie Chapman and Austin LaPlante. Bowden will sit on the judge’s panel Sunday at the Caribou Performing Arts Center where the audience will choose the 2015 Northern Star.
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| KACIE CHAPMAN, 13, of Presque Isle, was the top audience vote-getter in Saturday night’s central Aroostook production of the Northern Star singing competition. The Presque Isle Middle School seventh-grader wowed the crowd with her rendition of “Jesus Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood, and earned her spot in Sunday afternoon’s finale in Caribou. | JAKE GRAHAM, 26, of Mapleton, received the second highest number of audience votes in Saturday night’s Northern Star competition. Graham, a local teacher who performed “Foolish Pride” by Travis Tritt, moves on to Sunday’s Northern Star finale at the Caribou Performing Arts Center. |
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| AUSTIN LaPLANTE, 14, of Caribou, was chosen by judge Tamia Glidden to be part of “Team Tamia” heading into Sunday afternoon’s Northern Star finale in Caribou. At the central Aroostook show held Saturday night in Presque Isle, LaPlante engaged the audience early on during his performance of “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars. | NICOLE ADAMS, 25, of Presque Isle, sang “Black Velvet” by Alannah Myles at Saturday night’s central Aroostook Northern Star production. She was chosen by judge Melbourne Smith to be part of “Team Mel” where she will sing a duet with Jake Graham. The audience will vote for the contestant in each pair they felt was the strongest. The audience picks will then compete solo in the final round for the title of 2015 Northern Star. |
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Both a Presque Isle Middle School seventh-grader and a seventh-grade teacher at the school were the top audience vote-getters Saturday night at the central Aroostook production of the Northern Star singing competition.
They — along with two other local contestants — move on to Sunday afternoon’s finale in Caribou. Northern Star is a fundraiser for the United Way of Aroostook.
Kacie Chapman, 13, of Presque Isle, was the top vote-getter, while Jake Graham, 26, of Mapleton, received the second highest number of votes.
At each of the three regional shows, held in Fort Kent, Presque Isle and Houlton, the audience chose its top two finalists. Then, the top vote-getter got to select first which of three regional judges they wished to work with in preparation for the upcoming finale.
Each “coach” then paired the audience selections with a pick of their own. The contestant pairs will work with their judge to prepare and sing one song together at the finale, at which time the audience will vote for the contestant in each pair they felt was the strongest. The audience picks will then compete solo in the final round for the title of 2015 Northern Star.
Chapman chose judge Tamia Glidden to serve as her “coach,” while Graham will be working with Melbourne Smith. Glidden then chose Austin LaPlante of Caribou to be part of “Team Tamia,” while Smith handpicked Nicole Adams of Presque Isle to be the other half of “Team Mel.”
Chapman wowed the crowd with her rendition of “Jesus Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood.
“Kacie, you’re clearly a crowd favorite,” said Glidden over the audience applause. “It was very good and I could see that you loved performing it. I think you handled it really well. I loved how you were able to soften it at the end; that was good control. I really enjoyed it.”
“One of the things that I noticed last year coming here [as a judge] was how exciting it is to be part of someone’s dream, and you remind me of that kind of person,” said Smith. “For 13 years, you’ve gained a lot of soul and you brought that across in the song. Gorgeous control of your voice … a really, really high quality voice.”
Judge Gary Bowden, who will serve as a judge at Sunday’s finale, said he was impressed by Chapman’s ability to hold the notes.
“The way you were able to sustain your notes at the end of your lines is so nice. That’s such a subtle part of singing; a lot of people just clip those ends to get to the next line,” he said. “I don’t think a 13-year-old is supposed to be able to put that much emotion in a song, but you certainly did. Great job.”
LaPlante, 14, engaged the audience early on during his performance of “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars.
“Austin, that was great,” Glidden said. “I loved how you move; very good. Good interaction with the audience and with us. I’m liking those dance moves. You were in the groove; it was excellent.”
Bowden agreed.
“You interacted so well with the audience and that is so important to be able to get the audience involved,” he said. “You picked a song that seemed to match your personality, which came out, and that’s so important for singers … to take a song that works for them that they can really be passionate about and I think you did that.”
Graham performed “Foolish Pride” by Travis Tritt.
“Your voice is in great timber tonight Jake,” said Smith. “You chose a good song, and pulled it off really well and looked great doing it. You’ve got a good act.”
“Every time I hear you your voice gets better,” said Glidden, “and I love that gravely quality of your voice.”
“As always Jacob you pick the right songs, and you did it again tonight. You’re voice is powerful; it’s soulful, and you bring the lyrics to life,” said Bowden. “Another fine job tonight.”
Adams, 25, belted out “Black Velvet” by Alannah Myles.
“I’m buying what you’re selling,” said Smith. “She sold a lot to the audience. It was sultry, it was sexy, it was smoky. The point of art is to move you, and I was moved. Excellent job.”
“You have a way of picking good songs; every time I see you perform it’s the right song for that voice,” Bowden said. “That’s a powerful voice, and your dynamics are fabulous. I liked the way you vamped it a little at the end. You brought the soul really into the song.”
“What I put on my sheet was ‘pure soul’ and ‘pure power,’” said Glidden. “That pretty much sums it up. It was fabulous.”
Also competing in the central Aroostook show were:
• Jayden Pimental, 12, of Caribou, who sang “My Immortal” by Evanescence.
• Amelia Roy, 13, of Limestone, who chose “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele.
• Sydnee Waters, 15, of Mapleton, who selected “Try” by Colbie Caillat.
• Stu Wyckoff of Presque Isle, who performed “Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley.
• Paula Jamieson of Caribou, who sang “Gods and Monsters” by Lana Del Rey.
• Denise Michaud of Van Buren, who chose “Break It to Me Gently” by Juice Newton.
• Kianah Pelletier, 14, of Caribou, who selected “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran.
• Charles Munn of Presque Isle, who performed “Lonesome 7-7203” by Hawkshaw Hawkins.
• Allyson Plummer of Washburn, who sang “Heartbreaker” by Pat Benatar.
Also providing entertainment during the evening was 2014 Northern Star Megan (Ouellette) Cormier. The show was hosted by Claudia Stevens, executive director of the United Way, and Jason Parent.
Singers selected to advance from the Houlton show were Chloe Wheeler of Bridgewater (highest audience vote-getter), Taylor Reed of Houlton (second highest vote-getter), David Dow of Houlton, who was paired to sing with Wheeler; and Tazay Hill of Limestone, who was picked to team with Reed.
Selected to advance from the Fort Kent show were Cady Hebert of Fort Kent (highest audience vote-getter), Emily Marin of Fort Kent (second highest vote-getter), Stacie Coltart of Madawaska, who was paired with Hebert; and Adam Ouellette of Madawaska, who was chosen to team with Marin.
All proceeds from funds raised at the door go directly to the United Way of Aroostook’s annual campaign. Northern Star typically generates around $25,000 per year, and more than $493,000 — which includes in-kind donations — has been raised since the competition’s inception.
The Northern Star finale will be held Sunday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. at the Caribou Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $10 and are available at all KeyBank branches and at the United Way of Aroostook office, located at 9 Dyer St., Suite 2, in Presque Isle. For more information, call the United Way at 764-5197.
