Alix McNaught
Northern News Services
Published Friday, June 20, 2008

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - With mic in hand, swirling lights and musical backing, the five finalists in the last round of North of 60 Junior Idol gave it their all.

All five singers were strong, but only one could win - Janine Mayordo was named this year's North of 60 Junior Idol.

Finalists 2008 Junior Idol Finalists Teale MacIntosh, 15 Lisa Giovanetto, 13 Janine Mayordo, 13 Amy Gillman, 14 Amelie Duval, 14

"I'm happy about it. I'm really proud of myself," she said.

For her first song, Mayordo sang Before He Cheats, which numerous participants on the television show Canadian Idol butchered; however, 13-year-old Mayordo pulled it off.

"I'm trying hard to find something wrong with that," judge James McCarthy of Mix 100 on CJCD told her after she sang.

Joining McCarthy on the panel of judges for Junior Idol were Legion manager Nadene McNenemy and Ralph Delaney, an executive at the Legion.

Spawned from the adult North of 60 Idol competition, Junior Idol is now in its fourth year and is open to 10 to 18 year olds.

"This is week number four; 14 came out for the first round," said McNenemy.

"They come and they compete. They're broken down into the first two weeks and then we have an elimination. It goes by score; they're marked on five different areas, totalling 50, and from there it went to the semi-finals and from the semi-finals, we're down to five for the finals."

The five areas upon which the participants are marked are poise, talent, stage presence, voice and overall performance.

"Wait till you hear the kids sing - you'll be amazed at the talent,"McNenemy said of the five finalists prior to the show.

All five finalists were girls. According to McCarthy, there has not been one male performer in the four years the competition has run.

After the girls had each sung one song, there was an intermission. The crowd loaded up on food and Brittany Wade, last year's Idol winner, entertained the audience, showing off the techniques she'd learned at music camp the previous summer.

Following Wade's performance, the girls sang their second numbers. After the judges returned from their deliberations, Blaine Kelly, president of the Royal Canadian Legion, announced the results of the competition.

Mayordo performed a reprise of the crowd-pleaser Before He Cheats to close off the event.

As winner of Junior Idol, Mayordo receives a trip to Calgary and a music camp session there, sponsored by Canadian North.

Second prize, a Northern diamond donated by the city of Yellowknife, went to first runner up Amelie Duval.

Lisa Giovanetto took second runner up.

The top three performers will split bursary money donated by Diavik. In addition to this, all performers received gift packets, including North of 60 Junior Idol T-shirts.