FOR Amari Douglas and Jayda George, the sky’s the limit.
The performers, who tied for first place in the final of the inaugural Tobago Star Quest – The Next Level competition on December 14, have vowed to reach the pinnacle in their respective disciplines.
They are not only eager to put in the hard work and sacrifice necessary to achieve their goals but are ready to prove to the world that Tobago is not wanting for talent.
“The show was a great idea because it helps put this small island on the world stage,” Douglas, 16, said in an interview on December 18.
“There are a lot of talented people here but many of them just don’t have the resources and avenues to bring it out. So the competition was a great help for people who had the talent and the skill to get exposure.”
George, in a separate interview on December 19, agreed.
The young gospel vocalist, who sings with the group Divine Voices, praised the organisers’ emphasis on unearthing and showcasing the talents of the island’s young people, noting it also presented an opportunity to explore genres outside of calypso and soca.
“For me, musically, Tobago is extremely lacking. So for them (organisers) to start something like this (Star Quest), something so positive to get the young people to really explore other genres is a good thing because a lot of the times in Tobago when you hear music, you think soca, calypso. They focus more on the cultural aspect and it is very seasonal. So in my opinion, I just hope they could continue on with this idea,” she said.
George, who is also 16, performed a soul-stirring rendition of the Cynthia Erivo song, Stand Up, from the movie, Harriet. The song celebrated the heroism and compassion of Harriet Tubman, a former American abolitionist who escaped slavery and rescued approximately 70 enslaved people using the channel of what became known as the underground railroad.
“Stand up, take my people with me, together we are going to a brand, new home,” sang George, who performed alongside two dancers. Images from the movie flashed across a large screen during her performance.
Of the tune, the singer told Newsday, “The song inspired me based on the back story behind it. She escaped slavery and the word was that she was dead but she was getting herself in an order and smuggling slaves out of slavery by the underground railroad until eventually all of them were freed.”
Douglas, a fourth form student at Bishop’s High School student, played an interpretation of the Michael Jackson hit, Thriller, on pan. He arranged the piece alongside Ojay Richards.
“It basically told the story of how people have gotten addicted to their cellphones and saying the we have become zombies to the phone and technology. So we used music as a way to guiding people you to keep focus, to not be dominated by technology.”
[caption id="attachment_1127997" align="alignnone" width="631"] Amari Douglas plays an interpretation of the Michael Jackson's Thriller during the Tobago Star Quest finals. -[/caption]
His thrilling presentation featured sev
