In a pleasant twist, the Guyana Talent Search has found not one, not two, not even three, but 10 winners! Yes, we were surprised too, but we are definitely excited for it. The competition, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, has seen all ten finalists being adjudged winners; they include Roberto Teekah, Kaysheena Bindiya Singh, Cassie Adams, Curtela Lewis, Joel Dudnath, Logan Marley, Levi Simpson, Nia Allen, Sonia Singh, Quanisha Patterson and Darius Austin.
The Buzz on Thursday, caught up with the lone steelpan player in the competition, Darius Austin who told of his experience throughout the event and how he felt, having been named a winner of the competition. “It was beyond joy; it is beyond happiness. It was like I put in all the hard work and it finally paid off. I cannot find words to describe my feelings,” an ecstatic Austin told the Buzz.

He noted that now that the competition is over, his aim is to work hard and gain recognition for his skill, countrywide. He recalled the tremendous support that he would have received from his family and a few of his friends, throughout the life of the competition.
Austin, a valued member of the Parkside Steel Orchestra, explained that the competition provided a much-needed platform for him to explore his individualistic talent as a pannist. It also enabled him to become more comfortable and confident playing on his own, as against retaining his most familiar post as a member of the aforementioned orchestra. “Playing in a group is largely dependent of how one applies his or herself,” Austin related.

Even though Austin’s charms made his performances seem effortless and easy, he told the Buzz that every stage appearance required much hard work. “I came into this competition with one aim, and that was to show everyone that pan can hold a vibe in any genre of music,” a contented Austin said. He believes that through the competition, he would have been able to accomplish his goal “with the highest marks.”

Another soulful winner of the competition was Sonia Singh, a young, vibrant vocalist who has undoubtedly managed to capture the audience’s attention and win the judges’ hearts. “I have gained a lot of experience [from the competition]; I have learnt a lot of things from it, like in terms of the singing, how to actually keep my vocals going and all those things,” Singh said.
She explained that even though stage fright is quite common among many performers, it was not a fear she faced. “When I entered the competition because I had experience from other competitions,” she related. Singh said that she was overjoyed to have been named one of the winners of the competition. “It made me feel amazing,” she added.
The government-sponsored competition seemed to have also provided much motivation for Singh to move on to more reputable stages such as the one that accommodates the annual Chutney Monarch Competition, which has been an undeniable springboard for many of the biggest names in the local music industry. We at the Buzz believe that all the winners of the Guyana Talent Search were most deserving, and we look forward to seeing them all rise to fame far beyond this land of many waters.