The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
When young Micah Ballantyne stepped up to the microphone, no one was more surprised than her mother. 'I said, 'Oh my God, my girl can sing' and I got goose bumps,' said Virginia Gardiner. Micah, now 11, hid her singing voice from family and friends, but sang proudly at various coffee houses and showcases. Most recently, the Grade 6 Creighton Community School student brought home a first-place trophy from the talent show at the 2013 Pelican Narrows Winter Festival. Micah performed Adele's Rolling in the Deep, a song she loves to sing. 'The band behind me didn't know how to play it so they like just kept on playing the same chord,' the young performer said. 'I like messed up in the song, but then I got back on track.' Micah's stumble didn't seem to make a difference as she won first place in the competition. Ballantyne can be seen on YouTube with her rendition of Rolling in the Deep as she moves around the stages and keeps her audience captivated. 'I've been singing since I was like seven,' the excited preteen said. 'I just fell in love with it.' Though Adele is her favourite right now, Micah likes most songs from the hip-hop genre. 'But I like a whole bunch of kinds of music,' she said, adding, however, that country is not her top choice. Sneaking off Because her family and friends didn't know about her talent, Micah used to head to the playground to sing. 'I didn't really show my family members. I would usually go to the park and play and sing,' she said. Whether it was stage fright or simply not wanting to share her talent, Micah had a change of heart and has now performed a handful of times in public. Along with the Pelican Narrows Winter Festival, she has performed at the Northern Spirit Showcase _ and been invited back until she is at least 18. The event, held in Micah's hometown of Prince Albert, has fall auditions and a wintertime show. 'I sang in front of a lot of people,' Micah said excitedly. 'It's just fun to perform. I like it a lot,' she said. See 'I'm' on pg. Continued from pg. Standing in front of a crowd is some people's biggest fear, but for this 11-year-old it's a thrill. 'Like, when you first think about it, I get nervous with all the people, but when I get on the stage I'm not scared at all,' she said. Though vocally gifted, Micah is not planning a musical career. Instead, she hopes to become a pediatrician. For now, though, she'll keep on singing and hopes to someday make it on television. Stepping stones 'The first time I heard her sing was at the cabaret,' Gardiner said, referring to Creighton Community School's event last May. '...I was shocked and impressed.' Gardiner says she will keep an eye out for talent searches for Micah. The mother-and-daughter team missed out on a Search for the Stars concert audition recently held in Prince Albert. But Micah is keeping her eyes open for Canadian Idol auditions. When asked if that was something that would interest her, a big excited 'YES' came from the girl. Media attention Micah is no stranger to media coverage in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba. She has been mentioned in various papers, including The Prince Albert Daily Herald. 'I was so happy to be in them,' she said. '...once I saw it, I was like so excited. It was so much fun.' Newspapers and magazines aren't the only coverage the singer has earned as she heard herself on the radio one night. 'When you sing at the Northern Spirit Showcase they put the show on the radio and we got to hear (ourselves) sing on the radio,' said Micah. The 11-year-old was coming home to Creighton from Denare Beach when she heard her voice over the airwaves. 'I was so happy and so excited,' she said. Humbly, Micah says she is surprised she's the only one from Creighton at these talent shows. She agreed there is a lot of talent in the area. Hearing her daughter sing is still surreal for Gardiner. 'I just had no idea,' she said. Once seeing her perform last May, Gardiner said she heard feedback from lots of people. 'They said, 'Oh my God, she's so good' and 'How did she learn to sing?'' said Gardiner. Gardiner doesn't know the answer to that question, but says she and Micah will continue to see where singing will take her.
