YELLOWKNIFE - The third season of North of 60 Junior Idol wound down Saturday night after seven finalists sang their hearts out for the prize. But as Legion manager and organizer of the competition Lorne Power said, "every year there's always one person that steps up."

Brittany Wade won the 2007 North of 60 Junior Idol competition last Saturday night at the Legion. - Laura Power/NNSL photo

This season, the winner was 13-year-old Brittany Wade, an aspiring singer and actress. Though the judges had good things to say about each finalist, Wade brought down the house Saturday night with her charismatic rendition of Janis Joplin's Me and Bobby McGee, complete with audience participation and vocal improvising.

At 13, Wade has already been singing seriously for a couple of years. Last year, she participated in Idol for the first time and came out a finalist. She began taking voice lessons to improve her breathing, and said she had been practising a lot for the competition.

"Since last year I had really wanted to try and make it to the first or second," she said. "I've been practising every day for the whole year so it really made my voice become much stronger."

What Wade was really after, though, was the prize. As the winner of the competition, part of the prize package she will be taking away is a travel package to Calgary for a musical theatre summer program.

"It didn't really matter how I placed, I just really wanted to go on that trip 'cause it sounded like an awesome experience," she said.

In addition to the trip, Wade has won a Polar Ice diamond valued at $1,275, $100 cash from Alanco Holdings, a $500 scholarship from the Royal Canadian Legion, a gift certificate from Chic Chik and a gift package from Pepsi.

The runner-up, Lacy Taylor Payne, 15, won a pendant from Originals by T-Bo, $100 cash from Alanco Holdings, a $350 camping package from MSF Manufacturing, a gift certificate from Chic Chik and a gift package from Diamond Glass.

The competition was tough for Wade.

"Everybody did a really, really good job. There was lots of competition so that made me work even harder," she said.

When asked who else she thought deserved recognition, she said "everybody had a really strong voice so I wouldn't be able to pick one in particular."

Power agreed the competition was tight.

"I believe there was probably five there that could have won it on any given night," he said.

However, he said Wade was a favourite.

"A lot of people had her picked right from the very first night," he said.

The money raised at the door during Idol competitions at the Legion is given to charities.

This year, Power said the event raised about $5,000, but is not sure which charity or charities will benefit just yet.

North of 60 Idol for adults will take place again in October, and Power is already looking ahead to the next junior event.

"It's been a huge success and certainly we're looking forward to it happening again next spring," he said.