The two youngest contestants took home first and second place at the Ponoka Stampede talent show.
Sydney Mae Schweitzer, 12, and Cassidy Zahar, 15, competed against 10 other contestants, some more than twice their age.
Although this year’s show didn’t have much of a crowd because of heavy rains, the audience was blown away by the powerhouse voice coming from a young girl. Schweitzer (stage name Sydney Mae) — the last performer of the night — changed the entire trajectory of the competition with her commanding stage presence and perfect rendition of Mama’s Broken Heart by Miranda Lambert.
Although she’s only 12, Sydney Mae is already dreaming of becoming a country superstar like Lambert or her other idol, Carrie Underwood. “The only thing I’m scared of with that is privacy,” she said.
Sydney Mae has been singing since age four and writing her own songs since Grade 4. “I do it because I love it, there’s no pressure.”
She’s written about 10 songs — the first one on a ukulele — and for someone so young her concepts and views of the world are mature beyond her years. Sydney Mae writes about what she knows others experience and connect with and many of her songs centre on stories of divorce or child lose told from a child’s point of view.
Sydney Mae began entering singing competitions to gain more experience and put her achievements together.
“She’s been taking the bull by the horns, that’s what passion does,” said her mother, Donna Priel.
As the winner, Sydney Mae got to pick her prize and chose $500 and a song writing session with Duane Steele. Second place winner Cassidy Zahar won the guitar. While Sydney Mae wasn’t nervous Zahar didn’t know how the night would end for her. “They were all really fantastic. I don’t know how the judges chose.”
Zahar admits she can be highstrung when it comes to her own performances, “I’m like my own worst critique.”
However, as a big fan of Gord Bamford, Zahar loved having the opportunity to perform with his band and actually liked the performance she gave.
During the show Zahar sang House of the Rising Sun by The Animals but names Dolly Parton and John Denver as two older artists she loves to play.
“Sometimes it’s not even the age of the song but it’s the feeling of the song. I want to play music all the time . . . I want to bring people joy,” she added.
Zahar also wants a big country career and one day hopes to move to Nashville for a record deal and the opportunity to play sold out shows.