BC’s Best Teen Band Contest Top 10: Get to Know the Musicians

Meet the Top 10 bands for BC's Best Teen Band Contest 2012!

For the third year in row, Youthink magazine is presenting BC’s Best Teen Band Contest, a contest that gives young musicians from across the province a chance to showcase their music, connect with key players in the music industry and learn how to advance their music careers. The bands are fighting for over $20,000 worth of cash and prizes, including the top prize of $2,000 for artist development, a recording session at Greenhouse Studios in Vancouver, a songwriting session with Wide Mouth Mason’s Shaun Verreault, the May/June cover of Youthink magazine plus more!
 
The Top 10 bands were chosen from over 50 entries from across the province and are now featured on bandcontest.youthink.ca where voters will determine the Top 3, which will be officially announced on Tuesday, February 21, 2012.
 
The Top 3 finalists will then compete live at Electric Owl in Vancouver on April 28, 2012 where a panel of industry judges will determine the ultimate winner.
 
Youthink caught up with the Top 10 contenders in BC’s Best Teen Band Contest to find out a little bit more about them and how they’re feeling about making it to this stage of the competition.

Better Melon from the Queen Charlotte Islands

School(s): North Coast Distance Education School/ A.L.M Mathers
Genre(s):
Alternative/rock/metal
Major influence(s):
Breaking Benjamin, Dave Mathews Band, Yiruma

YT: How does it feel to have made the Top 10?
BM: To have made the Top 10 feels like a bite out of a freshly plucked melon! In other words, we were very happy to know that the extra effort put into our new material paid off.

YT: Why should people vote for Better Melon?
BM: Because if our voters give us the chance, we WILL deliver the goods!
 
YT: What would winning BC’s Best Teen Band Contest mean to you?
BM: Winning the contest would mean a newly opened door of opportunities and experiences!

Derrival from Langley

School(s): Langley Fine Arts & D.W. Poppy
Genre(s): Experimental/progressive/rock
Major influence(s): We are the City, Tokyo Police Club, Said the Whale, Aidan Knight, Bombay Bicycle Club
 
YT: How does it feel to have made the Top 10 for BC’s Best Teen Band Contest?
D: It's exciting! We've tried to make it into the Top 10 before, so being a part of it this year shows us that we’ve come a long way.

YT: Why should people vote for Derrival?
D: We are a hard-working, determined band that wants to share our music with more people. Most people know how hard it is to achieve a dream and voting for us would help bring us closer to our dream.
 
YT: Who are your biggest inspirations?
D: The people who listen to and support us. We can't express how much we appreciate the things you do for us.
 
YT: What would winning the contest mean to you?
D: Being caught up in the busy life of a student makes it hard to earn money for recording, organizing shows and increasing our fan base. Winning this contest would allow us to reach out to more people.

Fir Cone from Victoria

School(s): Belmont Secondary, Esquimalt High
Genre(s): Folk/rock
Major influences: The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Wilco, Josh Ritter
 
YT: How does it feel to have made the Top 10 for BC’s Best Teen Band Contest?
FC: Our band is thrilled to have made the Top 10 in BC’s Best Teen Band Contest! We were encouraged and inspired to enter by our friends and fellow musicians, The Archers, who won the contest last year. Although the six of us created Fir Cone only recently, the popularity of our music has swelled since we entered BC’s Best Teen Band Contest. We love everything about creating, playing and sharing our songs, and are looking forward to our upcoming shows and recording prospects.
 
YT: Why should people vote for Fir Cone?
FC: We hope people will vote for us because winning the contest would ignite audience enthusiasm. By creating a greater audience, we can continue to promote charitable organizations we believe in and play more venues. Success will allow us to help other new bands, like The Archers were able to do for us. It would also mean we would be supported to create an album, and possibly have our songs played on the radio.
 
YT: What would winning the contest mean to you?
FC: With our final year of high school coming to a close, this contest means so much to us because it has provided a necessary foothold that will enable us to pursue both our musical and educational goals throughout post-secondary. Winning this contest would be one of the greatest experiences of our lives. Thank you so much for choosing us to be in your Top 10!

From Birch to Yew (Norika Yue) from West Vancouver

School: Mulgrave School
Genre: Contemporary folk
Major influence(s): The Beatles, Iron and Wine
 
YT: Why should people vote for you?
NY: People should vote for From Birch to Yew because I have never written anything that was not genuine. I hope that people start connecting to the messages and sincerity of my music because that is what music is to me.
 
YT: Who are your biggest inspirations?
NY: James Taylor

YT: What would winning the contest mean to you?
NY: I've tried changing my mentality to take hold of the opportunities that are presented to me. Winning this contest would mean so much as it would help me continue writing music and pursue it as a career through the publicity. I hope that it will allow more people to be exposed to my music as my goal is to be able to help people emotionally through my music… as it has helped me.

Hailey Morgan from Langley

School: Homeschooled
Genre: Piano pop
Major influence(s): Sara Bareilles, The Beatles, Evanescence, Adele

YT: How does it feel to have made the Top 10 for BC’s Best Teen Band Contest?
HM: It feels absolutely awesome to be back in the Top 10! It's always great to be recognized as an accomplished artist, especially in such a talented music scene as the one we have here in B.C. Being a part of the Top 10 last year, I learned a lot during the workshops and I met some really great young artists and bands. I'm lookin' forward to doing the same this year!
 
YT: Why should people vote for you?
HM: People should ultimately vote for me in the competition because they like my music! I could write a big speil about how passionate I am about songwriting, or about how I love that feeling you get when you're playing on stage, but I'm sure that's something every single competitor in the competition could identify with, so it all comes down to how much the public likes my music!
 
YT: Who are your biggest inspirations?
HM: Honestly, I can be inspired by listening to a musician at a local coffee shop. Watching someone perform their own songs, baring their soul on stage, is pretty inspiring… you have to admit.
 
YT: What would winning the contest mean to you?
HM: Winning the contest would be fantastic and holding the title of BC's Best Teen Artist 2012 would be pretty fab as well! I've been itching to get back into the studio and first prize would definitely help me get another album made.

Jeemin Roh from Vancouver

School: University Hill Secondary
Genre: Indie pop-rock
Major influence(s): Pink, Radiohead, Avril Lavigne
 
YT: How does it feel to have made the Top 10 for BC’s Best Teen Band Contest?
JR: It feels like someone just proposed to me! I have always appreciated that there are some people who enjoy my music, but before, I did not have much confidence in my music. Having been chosen to be in the Top 10 is a very encouraging feeling. I am honoured that the judges from the actual music industry think that my songs should be in the Top 10.
 
YT: Why should people vote for you?
JR: Music has been my passion since I was little. It is something that I would love to pursue in the future. This contest could provide me with the opportunity to have more confidence and faith in my music. I had been very shy about my songwriting, even just two years ago, and I became less closed about my music when I saw that it brought happiness to people. A friend told me that my music gives him hope when he is feeling down, and a person whom I have never met sent me a message through YouTube that when he heard a song of mine on the radio, it inspired him to start playing guitar again after many years of quitting. It made me realize that my songwriting is not something to be hidden and to be shy about. My music has the power to make a change in someone’s life and the power to inspire in a positive way I’d like to make this world better, one rhyme at a time.
 
YT: Who are your biggest inspirations?
JR: My mom teaches me to be true to myself at all times and that I should not try to cover and hide who I am. She is always supportive of me and also my music, and I know I can depend on her when I am feeling down or hopeless.
 
YT: What would winning the contest mean to you?
JR: Winning this contest would give me the confidence and courage to pursue music in the future. Knowing that my music is very much supported and liked, I would be able to continue writing music and singing with a happier and even bigger passion. I’d be very grateful that people enjoy my music, so it would strengthen and reaffirm my love for music.

Kate Kurdyak from Vancouver

School: Lord Byng Secondary School
Genres: Indie/folk/pop
Major influences: Leonard Cohen, Jamie Cullum, Damien Rice, Joni Mitchell, Mumford & Sons, John Williams and The Beatles
Bach, Tchaikovsky and Chopin for inspiring my love of classical music and my grandmother for introducing me to music before I could walk and talk.
 
YT: How does it feel to have made the Top 10 for BC’s Best Teen Band Contest?
KK: It feels amazing! I’m so grateful for this opportunity. I’m most excited for the chance to meet the nine other artists and bands, and take part in the music industry workshops. I’m honoured to have a place in the Top 10 and I want to give a shout-out to all of the bands that entered. I was completely blown away by the talent and originality of your music!
 
YT: Why should people vote for you?
KK: I hope that I can bring something different to the contest. For one of the songs I’ve entered (Lovers or Friends), I have written four string parts and I believe that having strings players in the band creates an interesting and unique sound. My friends who helped me record it are excited about the chance to perform together. We want to thank anyone who takes the time to give us a listen! For this contest, I have gathered a group of nine musicians: Gabriella Schauber and Natasha Laponce (violin), Fiona Simons (viola), Jenna Choo and Callum Bell (cello), Arlo Sporn (guitar/bass), Iain Reid (percussion), Lauren Kurdyak and Kaitlyn Hansen-Boucher (vocals).
 
YT: Who are your biggest inspirations?
KK: I am always so impressed by local artists who have been able to create careers in music, and who have made me proud to be a part of the Vancouver music scene. Dan Mangan, a musician who, in fact, went to my high school, has seen his career soar in the past few years and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed following his success. I’m very inspired by musicians like K’naan, who has been a voice for the people of Somalia and has used his talent for social change in the world, which is something I aspire to do.
 
YT: What would winning the contest mean to you?
KK: Regardless of what happens, I am so grateful to have made it this far. Winning would be a huge leap forward for me as a musician. The publicity and exposure alone is invaluable and this contest is a great opportunity to get my music out there. A songwriting session with Shaun Verreault from Wide Mouth Mason would be amazing, and a recording session with Jay Evjen would be a wonderful opportunity for our whole group to record together. Winning this contest would open a lot of doors for me.

Roan Shankaruk from Vancouver

School: Van Tech
Genre: Alt-indie
Major influences: Owen Pallett and Stephen Sondheim
 
YT: How does it feel to have made the Top 10 for BC’s Best Teen Band Contest?
RS: Well, it's really exciting! There were so many great bands and solo artists and I feel really lucky that I've made it through so far!
 
YT: Why should people vote for you?
RS: I hope that they like my music and would like to see us develop further!
 
YT: Who are your biggest inspirations?
RS: Owen Pallett is my favourite musical artist. I have and can sing every one of his songs and have seen him live several times. I love his music, and I always try to write my songs as interesting and "full" sounding as his. He has also inspired me to learn violin! I have to say that I'm also incredibly inspired by Stephen Sondheim and am always listening to his work – currently it's Company and A Little Night Music – amazing lyrics! Of course, I'm always being inspired by my piano teacher, Clemie, and by Mr. Reid, our director of music at Van Tech – they're both so supportive and fun-loving!
 
YT: What would winning the contest mean to you?
RS: I would be really happy! Just even getting to the Top 3 would be fantastic. I would really enjoy being able to perform with a few friends and see where all of this takes us!

Shadows from Surrey

School(s): Queen Elizabeth Secondary, Douglas College
Genre: Alternative indie rock
Major influences: The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys
 
YT: How does it feel to have made the Top 10 for BC's Best Teen Band Contest?
S: We're very excited to be in the Top 10 this year! It's our first year entering this contest and will be our last since half of us will be "too old" to enter next year. We have one shot at this as Shadows and we're going to do all we can to make it.
 
YT: Why should people vote for Shadows?
S: People should vote for us because we would bring something completely different to this contest. We mix together a set of songs that can start you off swaying and raising lighters, but by the end of the night you'll be at the foot of the stage head-banging and dancing with us. Our songs are able to show you different aspects of who we are without straying from our original sound.
 
YT: Who are your biggest inspirations?
S: Each of us has very different taste in music, so we pull inspiration from different artists and genres when making our parts and put them all together to make our sound. We each decided to list a few:

• Chris (drummer) gets his inspiration from drummers like Travis Barker, Mike Portnoy and Buddy Rich.
• Kyle (bassist) gets his inspiration from bands including RHCP, illScarlett, Muse and Sublime.
• Dianne (guitarist) is inspired by bands like the Arctic Monkeys, The Joy Formidable and any band with riff heavy songs.
• Ashley (vocals, guitar) is inspired by bands including The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Dead Man's Bones, Ink Spots and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

YT: What would winning the contest mean to your band?
S: If anything, winning this contest would make us more focused and driven. Just getting into the Top 10 has already made us realize that people actually see something interesting in our music and that maybe there's something there that makes us special. If we manage to win, it'll definitely help us out, especially with recording and getting our name out there.

Shane Hooper from Salt Spring Island

School: Gulf Island Secondary School
Genre: Alt-folk
Major influence(s): The Beatles, Fleet Foxes, Aidan Knight, Said the Whale, vocally: Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses
 
YT: How does it feel to have made the Top 10 for BC’s Best Teen Band Contest?
SH: It feels amazing! I’m so happy and lucky to get this opportunity. I’m excited about learning from this experience – win or lose, I think I will take a lot away from it.
 
YT: Why should people vote for you?
SH: I’m friendly and nice. I like people, I hope they like me. I’m a weird indie-folk guy. I have a unique sound.
 
YT: Who are your biggest inspirations?
SH: Aidan Knight. My Mom and Dad.
 
YT: What would winning the contest mean to you?
SH: Ever since I played my first gig when I was eight, I knew I wanted to perform and share my music with the world. Winning this would be a huge first step to get me there.