APASA'S Got Talent 2016 feat. Sorah Yang, DANakaDAN and Dumbfoundead!
Hi everyone! Susana here! On Friday February 26th, was one of APASA’s signature event that featured our very own student contestants showcasing their many talents. APASA’s Got Talent seeks to highlight APA artists in our community and creates a platform for these students to be recognized. To top it off, we had 3 celebrity judges: Sorah Yang, DANakaDAN, and Dumbfoundead! They provided positive feedback to all our contestants and even gave some lively performances as well.
The first performers were CJ Productions, which consisted of Casey Huang, Holly Liu, and CASA’s president, Calvin Huang. Their group chemistry was outstanding, and best of all, they reminded us that what mattered most, was to just have fun and enjoy performing.
Dean Huang and Kaiti Liu performed a duet with a hit love song from Meghan Trainor and John Legend, “Like I’m Gonna Lose You.” Their melodic voices were so in sync and you could just see the ease and confidence they portrayed by just being up on stage. And like Sorah said, the song is not easy to master but they both did so wonderfully! They are also part of USC Trogons, which is the first and only East Asian A Cappella at USC. So keep an eye out for their amazing performances on campus!
Leo Xia performed a song he composed himself about his future when he becomes a father. The song, titled “Shaky Arms,” alludes to the relationship between a father and son; confused about his identity as Asian American, his father is there throughout the journey to help guide him. I’ve heard this song a couple times already and I don’t think I could get tired of it. It touches on so many experiences I think many of us can relate to.
Another duet, Max Lim and Andrew Liu sang the song titled “6 months, 8 days, 12 hours,” by Brian McKnight. Their soulful voices complemented each other and you could just see how they immersed themselves in this song. Playing the piano made it extra heartfelt.
Also, SoCal Mutiyaaran Bhangra, USC’s only all girls bhangra team, performed a traditional Indian dance. Their vibrant costumes of red and yellow as well as their dances were all beautiful!
In addition, a talented duo whom mixed in comedy and break dancing also entered the stage! Jaeho Joshua Lee and Leo Shon, best known as Winnerschnitzel, awed the crowd with their choreographed performance. They are so fun to watch on and off-stage.
The second place winner, Isaac Chien, also known through his stage name as Doji, mixed in singing and drums. Visit his page to listen to his song “Foreign Fields.” I promise you won’t regret it!
https://soundcloud.com/dojimusic#_=_
And lastly, our first place winner went to Jacqueline Faye! It is already rare to see a female APA rapper and Jackie has impressed us and left us wanting more. Her rapping skills were off the charts! Watch out Nicki Minaj, we have a rising APA female artist here!
After announcing the winners, the judges themselves gave a performance. They were very engaging with the crowd and got us all to stand up and dance! Afterwards, they stayed for a Meet and Greet with everyone.
It was my first time at Got Talent, and at Ground Zero for that matter, and I was just blown away by the student performances and delicious milkshakes. By the end of it, it felt like I had just stepped out of a concert. Surrounded by such an encouraging and supportive crowd, I hope these contestants continue to pursue their passions. We have seen their potential and I can definitely say, stars were made that night.
For more information on our guest judges visit here:
- dumbfoundead(https://www.youtube.com/user/dumbfoundead)
- DANakaDAN (Dan Matthews) (https://www.youtube.com/user/DANakaDANtv)
- Sorah Yang (https://www.youtube.com/user/sorahyang)
Let’s help support APA artists!
Susana Chan
Advocacy Chair