Kriesha Tiu, 10, blew away the competition at the 2009 Brentwood Idol competition with her performance of Celine Dion’s “I Surrender.”
Photo by Samie Hartley
Photo by Samie Hartley
Jordyn Foley, 9, dressed up for her performance of “The Lonely Goatherd” from “The Sound of Music.”
Photo by Samie Hartley
Photo by Samie Hartley
Matthew Parry-Jones, 9, sang R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts” at the Brentwood Idol competition.
Photo by Samie Hartley
Photo by Samie Hartley
Thirteen singers braved the afternoon heat last week to showcase their singing talents, but 10-year-old Kriesha Tiu raised the bar to unreachable heights early in the competition with her first-place rendition of Celine Dion’s “I Surrender.”
The pint-size Marsh Creek Elementary School fifth-grader blew the judges away with her powerful pipes, which stopped all the action during the Downtown Brentwood festivities. The crowd cheered as she hit the high notes that would have given Grammy-winner Dion a run for her money.
Kriesha, who began singing lessons at age 7, said her Brentwood Idol trophy would go with the other awards she’s won during her brief career, which include winning back-to-back titles at the Alameda County Fair Talent and Performing Arts Competition in 2008 and 2009 and placing in the top 10 at the Best New Talent Competition held at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles last year.
“I love to sing,” Kriesha said. “I’ve been practicing this song for a while, and it was really exciting to sing it for everyone.”
Kriesha said she’d like to buy a puppy with her $100 in prize money, but she’ll need to convince her parents first.
Katy Pasion, who brought her own cheering section with her, took second place with her touching performance of Martina McBride’s “Broken Wing,” and Jill Horn and Susannah Meyer took third with their energizing a cappella rendition of the World War II era hit “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.”
Other highlights of the event included an electric performance of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” by Vance Pasquinelli, an adorably rockin’ rendition of Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” by Ian Gardizi, 8, and a soulfully heartbreaking version of R.E.M’s “Everybody Hurts” by 9-year-old Matthew Parry-Jones.
Master of Ceremonies Annette Beckstrand said that considering the number of impressive performances, next year’s competition would need to be divided into age groups.
For video highlights of the Brentwood Idol competition, click here.
I just have to say that my husband and I really enjoyed watching the talented singers last week. We both used to sing in our youth, in fact it is how we met, so we especially enjoyed this event. There is certainly a lot of talent in Brentwood. Personally, we were most impressed with the young gal who went last. She had been somewhere else, and arrived at the last moment walking right up onstage where she gave an amazing performance. She sang the Lonely Goatherd, a song I know from experience that requires a heck of a range and is very hard to do. She was just amazing. I hope she reads this as we didn't have a chance to tell her that she was our favorite. We also enjoyed the young man who attends Heritage High. He had a wonderful tone and great presence. The sisters in third place with Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, was another favorite. Just beautiful voices. I applaud all the singers who got up an entertained us. I suggest next year that the organizers should add genre categories. That way those of us who don't care for today's music, won't have to listen to all the yelling and screeching vocal runs. I was wondering how one goes about becoming a judge. I was shopping and missed the first couple of acts and introductions, but my husband told me that none of the judges were musicians. So I would like to offer my ear and my opinions for next year. It would be fun. Congratulations again to all you wonderful performers. We have great talent in Brentwood!