Five years after she first started singing karaoke at the Grizzly Bar and Grill in Squamish, Nadine McNeil has won the B.C. Talent Search, along with $2,500 and the opportunity to perform at the Merritt Mountain Music Festival.
Nadine, as she is prefers to be called when performing, earned her place at the finals of the BC Talent Search by beating out 32 local performers at the Grizzly Bar and Grill on Thursday, May 4, and then placing in the top six of 16 competitors representing bars and pubs across the province at the Cloverdale Rodeo on May 22.
The 24 year old was crowned the winner of the competition at the finals on July 1, which took place at the Surrey Canada Day Celebrations held at Millennium Park in Cloverdale. Nadine said she was nervous but excited before her two performances on the weekend.
"I had butterflies but they were good butterflies," she said. "I got on stage and warmed up the crowd and once I started singing, I was just singing. I felt great. That's what I love to do."
Nadine said her second song of the performance is what she really clinched it for her.
"I sang Broken Wings by Martina McBride. It was my best friend's favourite song and she passed away last summer," she said. "Hitting the high note at the end is a challenge but I did it."
Nadine said she was surprised and ecstatic when her name was announced as the winner.
"I just started crying," she said. "[All of the performers] did such a good job and I had no idea."
Grizzly Bar and Grill owners Carmelle and Dale Cascanette, Nadine's sponsor bar for the competition were at her performance on Saturday and said it was an emotional day seeing her win.
"I was absolutely thrilled. I was so proud of her," said Carmelle Cascanette. "She did amazing."
First hearing Nadine sing in high school and then later at her bar's karaoke, Cascanette said she knew she would one day be successful as a performer.
"The very first time I heard her sing I knew she was going to go somewhere," she said.
Nadine will perform a half-hour set at the Merritt Mountain Music Festival on Thursday July 13 at around 5 p.m. A celebration party for Nadine will be held this Friday (July 7) at the Grizzly Bar and Grill starting at 9 p.m., where it is rumoured she will sing with the band performing.
