Futures Fest organizer Martha Livingstone thought she'd seen it all — that is until contestant Stephen Lecky scooped up three major awards.
“It's never happened in the festival's 16 years,” said Livingstone, still in awe a few days after the competitive Futures Fest was held Saturday, March 20 at the Royal Alberta Museum.
“Stephen was fabulous. He was a real crowd pleaser. For the people he sang an original and not everyone does that. He had a strong song and he also played guitar and harmonica that gave it a bluesy feel.”
Lecky won the Best Performance in Popular Music with Eastern Day and he received the most fan votes to take home the People's Choice Award. In addition, he paired up with girlfriend Jessy Mossop to sing Jackson>, a Johnny Cash and June Carter duet that allowed them to rope in the Best Country Performance.
“I love to sing with her. She wails a lot and she's an incredible singer. I'm glad I was singing with her and not competing against her,” laughed Lecky.
Ironically, the 2009 Paul Kane graduate had reached the top 100 for Canadian Idol and only entered to support Mossop, have a bit of fun and possibly win one of the prize recording packages valued at $500 for their band The JAMS. With Mossop winning Best Performance in Musical Theatre, the band has received $2,000 worth of recording time.
Mossop, a Grade 11 student at Paul Kane, has a soft spot for musical theatre and she chose Not for the Life of Me from Thoroughly Modern Millie. “The music is so much fun. The beats are old and easy to get into too.”
Rayne-Anne Latchford, a Grade 12 student at East Glen High won the Best Variety Performance with Used to Feel, an original soft pop melody. Latchford, who is attending the University of Lethbridge next year, has mixed emotions about the move and put them into song.
Oddly enough she felt that singing an original might deduct points. “Winning made me feel good that the music I've written is equivalent to other artists.”
Sage Jepson wowed the judges with Macavity, the Mystery Cat for Best Performance in Ages 9 to 12 with runners-up Rebecca and Gabriel Lappa. Nichola Stenzel won the Best Performance in Ages 5 to 8 along with runner-up Izabella Metz.
Runners-up in the senior categories are: Sarah Marles for a musical theatre performance; Neil Lamouche in country; Faith Bocolad for popular music and Taylor Chisholm in a variety performance.
“This is the best show we have ever had,” says Livingstone. “The calibre of competitors just keeps going up and the pool just keeps getting better.
