Young singer wins seven awards at Quebec Ontario Music Festival
Posted Jul 15, 2010 By Tiffany Williams-Lepack
Email
Print
Tweet This
Click to Enlarge
EMC Entertainment - Listening to Angelique Francis sing, you would think she had been in the industry for 20 years or more. The 12 year-old Kanata resident reminds one of Alicia Keys or Jennifer Hudson with her powerful yet graceful voice. 
Submitted
Young Angelique Francis of Kanata has her arms full as she emerges with seven awards from this year's Quebec Ontario Music Festival held at St. Hyacinthe, Que. June 26 and 27. The talented singer is a Grade 8 student at All Saints Catholic High School.
She recently won seven awards at the Quebec Ontario Music Festival in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec on June 26 and 27. She took home awards in the Broadway, pop, rhythm and blues and the singer song writer/composer categories. She also won the festival's most prestigious vocal award for most promising vocalist.
She thought the experience overall was really cool and enjoyed the fact that there were a lot of different categories to compete in. She was also proud to accomplish one of her goals.
"It made me feel good winning most promising because that was my goal for last year and it felt so good to reach it. It also felt good because to me it is better than the most outstanding because it says that I'm more likely to make it," said Francis.
She is going into Grade 8 at All Saints Catholic High School and has been singing ever since she can remember. She started writing her own songs as soon as she could read and write. Her first song was on chocolate milk when she was five years old.
"I like to write songs about what I know about, not really about love because I don't really have that much experience in it," said Francis. "I like to write message songs such as my song 'What is Freedom?' I don't know what freedom is exactly because everyone has a different freedom so I asked people what does it mean to you."
In her song she questions if freedom is when the pain is gone, or if it is the right to be wrong or when dreams come true.
She started playing piano when she was in Grade 5. She took one lesson but has taught herself learning by ear. She also composes classical pieces as well as jazz, rhythm and blues and pop.
Angelique cites her dad Kiran as her biggest influence who has exposed her to everything from classical to reggae, blues and even a little country. Her father is very proud of his daughter as he feels writing music helps her verbalize her thoughts.
"I think it is great that not only is she musically inclined she is also an honour role student. It's all about balance, she does well in school and in music," said Kiran. "My goal for her is first and foremost as good as she is in music she still has to have education. As long as she keeps a healthy balance I am very happy."
Last year at the festival she won four medals and has been competing since she was ten years old, winning numerous medals. She also recently won the Face The Music Vocal Studio overall pre-teen award. Over the summer she will be competing at the Super Ex and will be performing at the Ex.
She plans to continue her singing career and touching many lives sharing her gift, something she feels she couldn't live without.
"It's my passion but I think I also need music because it's not like something I really want but I need it."
blog comments powered by Disqus
