There are two major national English TV channels dedicated to children in Canada: Treehouse TV for pre-schoolers and YTV for the bigger kids, both of which are owned by the same company called Corus Entertainment. Corus also co-owns with Astra Media Teletoon, a TV network exclusively airing animation programming in both English and French in Canada.
For the past 6 years, Treehouse had been part of our life. I used to seeing my boy jumping around with the Wiggles, singing and dancing with the Backyardigans, busy making stuff with Mr. Maker etc. Out of the blue, he switched totally to YTV when he was about to turn to 6 earlier this year. I could not help but feeling amazed at how those TV specialists are able to target their programming at the right audience. At one casual weekend in August, 2010, he by accident caught a glimpse of the replay of the Next Star, a singing talent show for teenagers and has since glued to the show each week. When I got to know that the Finale will be staged and broadcast at Wonderland, the largest amusement park in Canada on the last Sunday of September, I bought the tickets right away.
Wonderland is only 30 minutes drive from our home. We have not been to Wonderland for 2 years. After I ventured all the rides at Universal Studio in Orlando 5 years ago, I came to the final conclusion that a woman of my age shall be best fit staying onshore. Fortunately my boy was so scared to get even close to those rides designed for small kids during our first 2 trips to Wonderland that I didn't have to worry about my heartbeat and blood pressure in the past.
"Now things may be different." As I thought to myself, we arrived at Wonderland. Accompanied by my good friend's son, my little guy improved a lot this time and tried almost everything appropriate for his age. However, the bad news was that for a few of them, an adult had to be with him because of his height restriction which left me no other choice. When I was still dizzy and felt like throwing up, our time was up. By the time we hurried there, the International Showplace was already fully packed with screaming teenagers holding up their banners in support of their favorite stars.
The Next Star reality show was launched in Canada in 2008 and instantly became a sensation. After auditions among over 4,000 kids under the age of 16 across Canada and numerous performances on the stage among 16 finalists, Top 6 are chosen from them to go through additional tasks from meeting the press, creating their own looks and pairing to perform duet to giving back to the local charities, attending to superstar duties and unveiling their singles. So it is a show for Top 6 to present not only their singing techniques but also communication skills, teamwork, creativity, and social responsibility. During the whole process, kids and/or adults across Canada cast their votes online or through text message to choose the Next Star. The kid with the most votes will be declared as the Next Star at the Finale broadcast live across Canada.
My son's favorite was Diego, a cutie from Toronto and mine was Mimoza, an Asia girl from Winnipeg. The show started in no time after four of us settled in. The whole place was soon heated up with waving hands, applause, jumping and screaming. My boy was no exception. He asked for a piece of paper from me and was writing on it carefully under the dim light. I looked closely and laughed. "Diego, You Rock!"
Holding the paper high above with his both hands, my boy was screaming and jumping like the rest of the crowd. "Is he really 6?" I had to ask myself. After Diego's performance with My Best Friends Girl, my little boy was shouting into my ear: "I believe Diego's going to win."
"I believe!" Suddenly I recalled Nikky Yanofsky, 16-year-old girl from Montreal whom Top 6 also met during the reality show and her theme song "I Believe" for 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. When she was still a little kid, she believed that one day she was going to be a international star like Celine Dion. She has believed and each day her belief has become one step closer to reality.
All these 6 kids have wished and believed. No matter who will be the Next Star, what they have believed have become real tonight, showing their talent and performing their best in front of so many Canadians live on this stage.
Diego's belief finally became true and so did my boy's. But there were no losers on the stage. So go ahead to say I BELIEVE and uphold this belief because this is the starting point for you to become the Next Star in your chosen path.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP9IQuz-jlk&feature=related
I Believe, performed by Nikki Yanofsky (Age:16)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxJCFJPrzXU&feature=related
Meet Me Halfway, Duet Performed by Diego (Age:14) and Mimoza (Age:13)
Wonderland is only 30 minutes drive from our home. We have not been to Wonderland for 2 years. After I ventured all the rides at Universal Studio in Orlando 5 years ago, I came to the final conclusion that a woman of my age shall be best fit staying onshore. Fortunately my boy was so scared to get even close to those rides designed for small kids during our first 2 trips to Wonderland that I didn't have to worry about my heartbeat and blood pressure in the past.
"Now things may be different." As I thought to myself, we arrived at Wonderland. Accompanied by my good friend's son, my little guy improved a lot this time and tried almost everything appropriate for his age. However, the bad news was that for a few of them, an adult had to be with him because of his height restriction which left me no other choice. When I was still dizzy and felt like throwing up, our time was up. By the time we hurried there, the International Showplace was already fully packed with screaming teenagers holding up their banners in support of their favorite stars.
The Next Star reality show was launched in Canada in 2008 and instantly became a sensation. After auditions among over 4,000 kids under the age of 16 across Canada and numerous performances on the stage among 16 finalists, Top 6 are chosen from them to go through additional tasks from meeting the press, creating their own looks and pairing to perform duet to giving back to the local charities, attending to superstar duties and unveiling their singles. So it is a show for Top 6 to present not only their singing techniques but also communication skills, teamwork, creativity, and social responsibility. During the whole process, kids and/or adults across Canada cast their votes online or through text message to choose the Next Star. The kid with the most votes will be declared as the Next Star at the Finale broadcast live across Canada.
My son's favorite was Diego, a cutie from Toronto and mine was Mimoza, an Asia girl from Winnipeg. The show started in no time after four of us settled in. The whole place was soon heated up with waving hands, applause, jumping and screaming. My boy was no exception. He asked for a piece of paper from me and was writing on it carefully under the dim light. I looked closely and laughed. "Diego, You Rock!"
Holding the paper high above with his both hands, my boy was screaming and jumping like the rest of the crowd. "Is he really 6?" I had to ask myself. After Diego's performance with My Best Friends Girl, my little boy was shouting into my ear: "I believe Diego's going to win."
"I believe!" Suddenly I recalled Nikky Yanofsky, 16-year-old girl from Montreal whom Top 6 also met during the reality show and her theme song "I Believe" for 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. When she was still a little kid, she believed that one day she was going to be a international star like Celine Dion. She has believed and each day her belief has become one step closer to reality.
All these 6 kids have wished and believed. No matter who will be the Next Star, what they have believed have become real tonight, showing their talent and performing their best in front of so many Canadians live on this stage.
Diego's belief finally became true and so did my boy's. But there were no losers on the stage. So go ahead to say I BELIEVE and uphold this belief because this is the starting point for you to become the Next Star in your chosen path.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP9IQuz-jlk&feature=related
I Believe, performed by Nikki Yanofsky (Age:16)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxJCFJPrzXU&feature=related
Meet Me Halfway, Duet Performed by Diego (Age:14) and Mimoza (Age:13)
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