One talented local is defying the odds and has a chance to win it all at this weekend’s Simcoe Rising Star 2018 gala.
The Ferndale Banquet Hall will be rocking this Saturday, Sept. 22 as a dozen of the area’s most talented performers set their sights on prizes and bragging rights, while the event itself will help to raise money and awareness for the Youth Haven Residence.
One family in particular that will be out in large numbers is that of 17-year-old Abby Lelievre, who will hit the stage and the big notes and says that she really isn’t all that nervous, unlike her mom.
“On the audition day, it was really nerve-wracking for mom, she actually felt a bit nauseous,” said Lelievre. “I’ve actually been singing as long as I can remember and it has been a very big part of me.”
Lelievre usually sings pop music, but has been told her strength is Broadway songs and during the auditions the St. Joseph’s Catholic High School student actually performed Don’t Rain On My Parade by Barbra Streisand and for the semifinals sang Popular from the popular play Wicked.
Lelievre was even discouraged from performing Popular by a vocal coach who said the tune was extremely hard with its highs, lows, fast and slower pace, but Lelievre received a standing ovation and qualified for the finals.
“I was nervous back in elementary school, but ever since performing in my first talent show I have been starting to feel more comfortable around a lot of people while singing in front of them,” said Lelievre.
To make it even more extraordinary that she is doing what she is doing, Lelievre has Asperger’s syndrome, a condition that will usually hinder a person’s ability to be involved comfortably in social interactions.
Lelievre is no different in that regard, but says she doesn’t really think about it when she gets on stage and has no real trick to help her focus.
“I just see a lot of people who came to see a performance and I really want to give it to them,” said Lelievre.
Lelievre’s mom, Aimee Allen, says it is amazing for her to see her daughter not only doing well in a singing competition, but also in front of so many people.
“There is no musical background in our family whatsoever, but when she was growing up we would always watch American Idol and Glee, she was obsessed with Glee and would always sing,” said Allen. “I had her in a glee club for about a week and she loved it, but that was her first exposure to singing in front of people.
"The really cool thing is that everyone who meets Abby will say the same thing in that they can’t believe that is the same girl who was shy the day before and is now up on stage belting out Broadway songs in front of an audience," she added.
The SRS 2018 auditions had about five or six judges, just like America’s Got Talent, then if you won you moved on to the semifinals which had about 50 people until they narrowed it down to this weekend’s top 12 for the finals.
The winner gets a trip to Mexico and second and third place get cash prizes of $1,500 and $1,000.
Abby’s step-dad, Mike Allen, says all that is great, but he and the family, who will be out in droves, are very proud of what she has already accomplished and the determination that Abby has had to overcome something that should have held her back.
“Having Asperger’s, the social interaction is really challenging with Abby so this is awesome and we all love it,” he said. “We see on a regular basis how hard it is for her to go through that, but when she gets up on that stage that is her world and is interesting to us because she’d rather perform in front of 20,000 people than have a one on one conversation with someone.”
The event starts Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Ferndale Banquet Hall at 24 Ferndale Industrial Dr.
For more information, check out the website.
