IQALUIT - Many people would experience stage fright singing in front of a crowd of strangers.

Iqaluit's Qalaapik Tulugak performed with the Pacific Curls in October when they were in town. - photo courtesy of Ed Maruyama

That's the predicament 11-year-old Qalaapik Tulugak found herself facing last month.

She was unexpectedly called onstage to perform during the Pacific Curls concert held by the Alianait Arts Festival at Nakasuk School.

"I was shy and I didn't want to do it at first," said 11-year-old Tulugak, a Grade 6 student at Aqsarniit Middle School.

This is not the first time the Pacific Curls, made up of Kim Halliday, Sarah Beattie and Ora Barlow, have performed in Iqaluit, as they were in the city two years ago.

Tulugak said she remembers going to that concert and recalled what Beattie looked like.

"I told her I could throatsing," Tulugak said.

In front of the live audience, Beattie called on Tulugak to come join the group.

After some convincing, Tulugak throatsang a couple of songs with them while they played various instruments. "The girls told me I was good and that made me feel nice," she said.

Tulugak then went up onstage a couple more times. She said her friend taught her how to throatsing.

The young performer explained that when you throatsing you have to stick your neck out and make it expand as if you were trying to cough.

She was the first to admit when you are learning the art it hurts your voice. You can then make different pitches and tones with your voice.

Well-known throatsinger Becky Kilabuk has even taught her some songs.

"Music is fun because you get to go onstage," she said.

Tulugak's artistic talents run deep as she also plays the violin, the recorder and does hip-hop dancing.

While hip-hop dancing is quite different from throatsinging, Tulugak said she likes it because it combines music and sports. She practices twice a week.

"It lets me goof around," Tulugak said.

Not only did the opportunity to sing with the Pacific Curls give her an experience of what it was like performing but to top it all off she got $10 from Beattie.

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