Laura Power
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 17, 2007

COPPERMINE - The first radio-based singing competition in Kugluktuk was a hit.

R.J. Kusmack, recreation director for the community, organized the six-week event earlier in the fall. Every Sunday for six weeks, half a dozen contestants would sing their hearts out on the radio hoping to win the title of Kugluktuk Idol.

Danielle Adjun was the first place winner in the Kugluktuk Idol singing contest. - photo courtesy of R.J. Kusmack

The contest, which wrapped up Dec. 9, was not only unique in the sense that it was aired over the radio, it was also completely anonymous to eliminate any bias from the many listeners who called in to vote at the end of each show.

"We had a very large listener support," said Kusmack. "Everyone liked the fact that this is something unique and new."

After each show, hosted by Ron Tologanak (known as the voice of Kugluktuk), about 50 people would vote. Often, one call would be made for an entire household, making the audience much larger than that.

The first-place winner was 14-year-old Danielle Adjun, a talented high school student who said she has performed at community events before. She came out on top by performing a variety of catchy country tunes such as Every Little Thing.

"I had a little bit of coaching from one of my teachers. He told me to sing with my stomach and not with my voice and he helped me out a little bit," she said.

Adjun was one of a few friends who joined the competition.

"It was really fun for everybody to be guessing ... who was singing," she said.

Having sung in public before, the anonymity of the competition didn't make as much of a difference for her as it did for others.

"I'm not usually that type of really shy person," she said. "It was good for some other people, I guess."

As the first place winner, Adjun won a pair of return tickets to Yellowknife and one night's stay at a hotel.

Over the course of the six week-contest, a total of 18 competitors sang in a variety of styles. There were throat singers, folk and country singers and even an R&B singer, John Davis, who made it to the finals and came in third place. The second-place winner was Dettrick Hala.

"I think that you have to sing something that everyone kind of knows," said Kusmack. "If you can get something that people can even start singing to on the other end while they're doing their dishes listening to the show, I think you'll get that person's vote."

Kusmack is planning another round of Kugluktuk Idol for the spring, which will coincide with the town's 30th anniversary celebrations and Nattiq Frolics.