MEET THE WINNERS OF STAGE DOOR 2.0
At The Real Songwriters of Melbourne, we love discovering new local artists and spreading the word about their insane talent.
We were very excited to be able to work with Stage Door as last weekend saw Jena Marino judging the Grand Final of their singing competition.
Operating since 2012, this year changed the landscape as they developed a world-first, an online singing competition. In a time when social distancing prevented us from sharing our crafts, Stage Door brought many young performers the opportunity to perform to a new and wider audience.
The competition invited many individuals from around the country to submit a video of them performing. Then after two rounds, eight contestants per category battled it out live on camera in front of an online audience. The judges included professional vocalist and vocal coach Elise Toni Mizzi, Jazmin Varlet (The Voice) and Turanga Merito (The Lion King).
We at The Real Songwriters of Melbourne are proud to welcome the three winners Kyra, Monique and Alicia to the Real Songwriters Community.
Check out our Q&A below!
CHECK OUT STAGE DOOR ONLINE
KYRA SIONE (8-12 YEARS)
Congratulations on winning Stage Door! What was the best part about your time at Stage Door?
"I loved the whole journey! I loved pre recording the songs and
getting awesome feedback which I really loved and took on."
What did you like about singing online versus the stage?
"Even though through this pandemic I couldn’t sing on stage to an audience, I could connect with people online and still learn so much which I am really grateful for."
Have you written any songs yourself?
"I'm in the process of writing a song now and hoping to get it finished by this year or early January which I am really excited for! I will tell you definitely when it comes out."
What are your hopes and dreams for your future in music?
"My dreams for the future is to be a professional singer. To write and sing music and get it to number 1 and release songs on the radio. To sing all around the world and do live concerts! I would also like to win Grammy Awards."
MONIQUE RASO (13-15 years)
Congratulations on winning Stage Door! What was your favourite part of the whole experience?
"My favourite part of the Stage Door experience was the incredible journey that it has taken me on. I am very grateful to have had that opportunity. Everyone was so welcoming and supportive. Stage Door was very professional and well organised."
What was the one thing that you learnt about yourself during this competition?
"To believe in myself and not give up. Everyone is unique and I have been trying to be the best version of myself that I can be."
What is your favourite part about writing music?
"My favourite part about writing music is letting the emotions come from my heart. Also, being able to match lyrics with chords is a fun experience and I like to explore different types of sounds."
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? What are your musical goals?
"In 5 years, I would like to be a professional singer, doing gigs and always performing. My musical goal is definitely to have an album or two out on all platforms such as Spotify, iTunes."
ALICIA MEYEPA (16+)
Congratulations on the win! As this was your second time competing in Stage Door, tell us about your experience this time round?
"I feel like in Stage Door 2.0, I came in with an open mind and a positive attitude which has led me to success. Since the first Stage Door, I feel as though I have grown as a performer as I have become more confident performing in front of others. In the most recent Stage Door I was less hesitant and just gave it my all rather than overthinking it. I feel like by participating in Stage Door I have developed a better understanding of how to perform and what I enjoy performing."
What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about entering a singing competition like Stage Door?
"One piece of advice I would give to someone thinking about entering a singing competition is to definitely go into the competition with an open mind! I went into Stage Door 2.0 with an open mind which I felt has helped me open up the most throughout the competition, allowing me to grow."
What’s next for Alicia? What are your musical goals for the future?
"My musical goals in the future are to release my own music and potentially start performing my own original pieces. I eventually want to release my originals onto platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube."