The end of the GX94 Star Search competition, there can be only one winner, and this year the honor went to Karissa Hoffart.
This is the first time Hoffart has ever won a competition, and she admits that she had difficulty processing the fact that she got the prize.
鈥淚t is so unreal, I never even thought anything like this would ever happen... I鈥檝e never, ever won a competition, I鈥檝e always got in second or third, and I found that I just kept trying, and it happened.鈥�
Hoffart currently lives in Regina, where she has just completed her first year of Nursing, but is originally from the village of Minton, SK.
It鈥檚 the twenty fifth year of the competition, and Hoffart says that they鈥檙e an inspiration to her as she uses the competition win as a stepping stone to get her name out there and build a music career.
She says it鈥檚 an honor to be counted as one of the winners of Star Search.
鈥淚鈥檓 just so lucky to part of that group, I can鈥檛 even imagine. I watch Jess Moskaluke on TV and see her videos, to think that could be me I can鈥檛 even imagine.鈥�
That stepping stone includes the chance to record a single for radio airplay. Hoffart knows she wants to have original songs, and while she has some originals ready she plans to make something fresh for the recording session.
While she was the winner this year, Hoffart says that she wants the best for all of the other singers in the competition, and says that she wants to see them continue to push and keep trying. This was the fourth Star Search that she has taken part in, reaching the finals each year.
鈥淲hen you first start, don鈥檛 be disappointed if you don鈥檛 make it... It took me four years and a lot of disappointment, but it was worth it.鈥�
Each person on stage had two songs to make an impression, with Hoffart singing 鈥淕irl in a Country Song鈥� by Maddie and Tae and 鈥淪tay鈥� by Sugarland.
She says song selection is key.
鈥淵ou want to be able to have fun with it. You don鈥檛 want a song you鈥檙e not into, you want to show the audience what you鈥檙e feeling. That鈥檚 really what I tried to do with those two songs I sang tonight.鈥�
The competition was entirely women in 2015, and Hoffart says that she鈥檚 proud to be part of the group on stage and part of a strong group of female singers in the province.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something to be proud of. We all stick together and a lot of the performers I am very good friends with, and I can鈥檛 wait to watch them win it as well.鈥�
While it was a competition, Hoffart thinks that it鈥檚 more about bringing together the province鈥檚 singers, and she says for her it鈥檚 about meeting other musicians and supporting each other, as Star Search brings them together.
