Prince Albert band The Wolfe advances to finals of CBC’s Searchlight competition
Prince Albert rock band The Wolfe has made it to the final round of the CBC’s national Searchlight talent competition and this weekend the group’s three 17-year-old band members fly out to Toronto to film the grand finale.
“We see it like we’re graduating, so instead of applying for universities we’re going to Toronto to try and win this thing,” guitarist and signer Gabrielle Giroux said with a laugh.
The competition started in mid-February, with listeners voting for their favourite musical acts online. According to the CBC, more than 1,200 amateur artists from across Canada took part in the contest, including 33 from Saskatchewan. The Wolfe submitted a breezy, acoustic song about individuality called Dumb Dog.
Earlier this week it was announced that The Wolfe — Giroux, singer and bassist Siobhan Bayda and drummer Tesa Thompson — were named to the final four. As a finalist, the band gets to perform at a Canada Day concert at the National Arts Centre theatre in Ottawa this summer.
“I was very calm and in disbelief,” Bayda said of her reaction when she heard that The Wolfe will compete against two acts from Toronto and a band from Vancouver in the final four.
“I guess in some way it’s almost like a validation. Coming from a small place doesn’t mean you’re any less better off than somebody coming from a bigger place. Music is music.”
“I think Saskatchewan has such a great music scene so the fact that they picked us to represent Saskatchewan is such an honour. It’s incredible,” Giroux added.
“I think their goal is just to showcase the new talent that’s coming from Canada as a whole and it’s just a great outlet for smaller bands and artists to apply for and get some exposure that we wouldn’t normally get.”
The Wolfe’s page, which includes their music video, can be found here. The Searchlight finale will air on the CBC on April 9.
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