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“Few singers get to throw a release party for their first song.
But, thanks to a local singing competition, 14-year-old Shay Esposito will do just that.
The young Edmonton singer will launch her first single How We Were with a show at The Hydeaway, 10209 100 Ave., at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Audience members will be able to purchase download cards for the song.
Esposito finished in the Top 6 in Edmonton Undiscovered last summer and won five hours of studio time, which she used to lay down the first song she ever wrote.
"I wouldn't be where I am now at all if it wasn't for that show," she says.
The competition got Esposito writing music and convinced her to pick up a guitar for the first time.
Esposito is inspired by Avril Lavigne and Evanescence, but despite her pop sound, she counts herself as a big fan of heavier, "alternative metal" music like Avenged Sevenfold and Escape the Fate.
Her mom, Debbie Esposito, says her daughter has been singing since before she could talk, and knew all the worlds to Michael Jackson's Billie Jean at age two.
"When she was two-and-a-half, she came to me and said, 'Mommy, I want to go where they teach you to sing.' I'm shocked and I'm looking at her and I said, 'You're two-and-a-half. How do you know there is such a place?' " Debbie recalls.
"She very defiantly put her hand on her hip and said, 'Mommy, people sing, somebody must teach them.' "place Edmonton’s Got Tale
- Kevin Maimann/EXAMINER STAFF
“Few singers get to throw a release party for their first song.
But, thanks to a local singing competition, 14-year-old Shay Esposito will do just that.
The young Edmonton singer will launch her first single How We Were with a show at The Hydeaway, 10209 100 Ave., at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Audience members will be able to purchase download cards for the song.
Esposito finished in the Top 6 in Edmonton Undiscovered last summer and won five hours of studio time, which she used to lay down the first song she ever wrote.
"I wouldn't be where I am now at all if it wasn't for that show," she says.
The competition got Esposito writing music and convinced her to pick up a guitar for the first time.
Esposito is inspired by Avril Lavigne and Evanescence, but despite her pop sound, she counts herself as a big fan of heavier, "alternative metal" music like Avenged Sevenfold and Escape the Fate.
Her mom, Debbie Esposito, says her daughter has been singing since before she could talk, and knew all the worlds to Michael Jackson's Billie Jean at age two.
"When she was two-and-a-half, she came to me and said, 'Mommy, I want to go where they teach you to sing.' I'm shocked and I'm looking at her and I said, 'You're two-and-a-half. How do you know there is such a place?' " Debbie recalls.
"She very defiantly put her hand on her hip and said, 'Mommy, people sing, somebody must teach them.' "place Edmonton’s Got Tale
- Kevin Maimann/EXAMINER STAFF
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
Shay Esposito
Hi, I’m Shay, I am 15 yrs old and live in a small town in northern Alberta. My favorite thing to do is sing. I can’t imagine my life without music. Plain and simply put….. music heals me.
I do listen to all kinds of music but I confess my favorite genre is metal. I sing everything but tend to lean toward music with a more pop/rock or alternative rock influence.
My second love is basketball. I play on my school team and I recently starting working as a referee.
Accomplishments/Events
Recorded my first original – How We Were, that I wrote when I was 13.
Performed at Big Valley on the family stage (2012)
1st place Edmonton’s Got Talent (2012)
Top 6 Edmonton Undiscovered (2011)
Local Music Festival Scholarship
Finalist Northern Star Talent Search
Grade 4 Royal Conservatory Certificate (first class honors)
I was singing before I could speak. I would hum to the music on the radio, clearly my own attempt to create music. At the age of 2 I knew all the words to Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” and at 2 ½ I asked my mom to take me to “Where People Sing”. That was the beginning of my music career.
One of my earlier music instructions said to me “Some people sing because they love to sing but for you, it is something more” Little did I know at the tender age of 8 just how true that statement really was.
Trained early in the classical style I have developed great strength to my voice and with the help of my vocal coach I successfully completed the Royal Conservatory Grade 4 Voice certification, with first class honors at the age of 11!
As my musical abilities improved I began to stretch my repertoire to include some pop and rock music. At the age of 12 I joined up with vocal coach Bernard Quilala (Spotlight Studios). With his help my talent in these genres began to soar. I quickly found my true love of music in these styles.
I have performed in local music festivals and fundraisers for years. This past summer I was invited to sing on the family stage at the Big Valley Jamboree…that was amazing!
I am now entering the world of songwriting, having written my first original “How We Were” at the age of 13. I was lucky enough to be able to record this song last year. I wrote my second original “Toy Soldier” at the age of 14 and have just recently had it recorded with producer Trey Mills.
I am not like other singer songwriters my age. While other teenagers are writing about boyfriends and breakups, I write about events that have a deep meaning to me, like my song Toy Soldier where I discuss my concerns with war. I want to write about things that matter and I hope through this to make my mark in this industry as a singer/songwriter.
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