Timmins singer Maggie Gignac made it to the top five at the national KI's Our Voices 2020 competition held virtually this year.
Out of 50 contestants, Gignac, 22, was placed fourth taking home a cash prize of $1,500.
“I’m really happy with where I placed. There was a lot of talent this year,” she said. “I’d like to give a huge thanks to all those that continuously support and encourage me through my journey with music.”
Organized by Noah Chapman, the singing contest is open to everyone across Canada and has been taking place at Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation, also known as Big Trout Lake, for at least a couple of years.
This year, the event was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All participants were split into two groups with 25 people in each group. In the first round, contestants had to send two videos and then five people from each group were selected to advance to the next part of the competition.
Gignac was among five people from her group who made it to Top 10. In the next round, she had to submit two more videos.
“We were allowed to film them beforehand," she said. "Once you submitted your audition video, you were accepted almost immediately and that was months before the competition. We actually had all that time to create the videos.”
In total, Gignac had to submit six videos, including an audition video.
“I was just figuring it all out as I was doing it,” she recalled. “I recorded off my iPad and used my MacBook, connected it to a condenser mic and then had to mix my vocals with my video. I didn’t know how to do any of that, so I just learned as I was going and I think it worked out pretty okay.”
She said there were three judges and submissions were evaluated based on the scoring criteria.
“There were five different categories, five points each, and that’s how they scored you,” she explained.
She said the support from her friends and family as well as from strangers has been overwhelming and inspiring.
It wasn’t the first time Gignac took part in the competition.
Last year, she travelled to Big Trout Lake to partake in the week-long event where she made it to Top 10. Participants, many of whom were from Manitoba, stayed at a camp. Gignac said she also had to find sponsors and do fundraising to cover the travel expenses as Big Trout Lake is a fly-in community.
"It was a really nice experience," she said. “I hope to attend again next year, hopefully, in-person.”
Gignac, who was raised in Gogama lived and attended school in Mattagami First Nation for three years, said she’s been singing for as long as she remembers and music has always been a huge part of her life.
“I grew up listening to Shania Twain and Carrie Underwood,” she said. "Music is a great way to show emotion, to connect with people. It's just a huge passion of mine and I hope I can further what I'm doing with music."
“I have something in the works and I also hope to work with some people in Timmins, other local artists, with writing and producing, so that’s really exciting.”