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MetroVanIndependent.com
August 2015
lifestyle/entertainment
The Star Experience Songwriting Competition for BC Teens
By Luisa Marshall
The first of its kind in British Columbia,
Ria Jade, host of EveRIAthing TV show,
unearthed musical empowerment and
inspiration during the Star Experience event
with a slight tinge of raising awareness on
bullying, cyberbullying and other forms of
abuse.
The Star Experience Songwriting
Competition paved the way for sixteen
young talented teens who have the
passion for writing music to finally unleash
their hidden musical prowess. They were
given an opportunity to share their talent
on the Columbia Theater stage in New
Westminster. The event was hosted by Ria
Jade along with some very popular teen
actors such as Dakota Daulby, Matreya
Scarrwener & Mitchell Kummen.
This is the very first year for The Star
Experience Canada which has seen a
highly talented array of young songwriters!
Simply The Best TV correspondent Zenia
Marshall interviewed first place winner
Madison Bell on how important it is for
young people to develop their musical
skills.
“I think it’s a really good way to release
what you’re feeling a lot of times. A lot of
people tend to bottle in their emotions and
opinions on things but I think music kind of
Best Song & Audience Favorite winner Alexis Lynn.
"People always say that the
future is in the hands of the
youth and I think that if we can
make a better world now we can
make a better tomorrow,”
- Ria Jade
helps outlet that,” Bell said.
“Never Fall” by the audience favorite
winner Alexis Lynn won the Best Song.
When asked what inspired her to write
the winning song she said, “It’s about a
multitude of experiences with boys and
how it would be if I would fall for them but
they wouldn’t feel the same way about me.
At the end, there would be a lyric shift and
it’s where my doubt was proven wrong and
they fell for me as well.”
The event started promptly at 6pm and
ended at 9:30pm. The stunning Ria Jade
was so proud of the successful event,
“I guessed I just always wanted to help
people since I was a kid, ever since I was
just 5 or 6. I knew that my calling was to
help in any way I could. And as a musician/
songwriter, I know how hard it is to make
it in the music industry, it’s always like a
struggling battle every day. So I first started
meeting talents, and I wanted to help
them get their stuff out then I met these
humanitarians, I wanted to get their voices
out there. I just wanted to help people.
People always say that the future is in the
hands of the youth and I think that if we can
make a better world now we can make a
better tomorrow,” Ria Jade explained.
All of the major winners will have the
opportunity to perform on the eveRIAthing
TV show or any other Ria Jade major
events. They will also be performing live
during The Star Experience 2016 Finals set
for next year.
The Star Experience Canada 2015
winners of the free songwriting competition
had a lot more to be happy about than just
their placing. The Audience Favourite, along
with the First and Second place winners,
each received a 12-hour recording and
music production package with established
music producers. The Audience Favourite,
Alexis Lynn, took home a prize package
valued at over $5,000, while the First Place
Photos by Diones Lago
First Place winner Madison Bell.
winner, Madison Bell, took the grand prize
valued at over $6,000!
An added special highlight to the
event was the inspirational message by
well-known anti-bullying advocate Carol
Todd, founder of the Amanda Todd Legacy
Society. She also presented the 2015
Inspiring Youth Awards.
All in all, it was a heartfelt and very
meaningful event. Congratulations to
the Diy family (Jackie & Raffy and their
daughters Deanne and Ria Jade). The
star is bright for this event which indeed
promoted music and inspiration to the
youth in its true essence and hopefully
after the successful Saturday night, there
will be more Star Experience songwriting
competition in years to come.
The Star Experience Canada
2015 winners