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SHOWCASE SPECIAL “ BECOMING 2022 ” EDITION
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In this special edition of Showcase , we ’ re highlighting the three Standout award winners from Lawson Vocal Studios ’ Becoming 2022 competition . LVS ’ s annual Becoming contest finds and supports outstanding emerging artists and gives them the tools and resources to reach their full potential . Find out more at
www . lawsonvocalstudios . com .
JAMES FAVRON
James Favron is a multi-talented singer , rapper , and musician . Born and raised in Toronto , Favron ’ s earliest musical influences were gospel and hip-hop . After years of exploring different genres and roles in music creation , he now finds himself at a personal revival , where his love for hip-hop , fashion , and dreaming big are fully alive . As he puts it , “ It feels like all of my experiences , both artistically and personally , have finally come full circle and I feel like I ’ m more ‘ myself ’ than I have ever been .”
The release of his first single in three years , “ Lovers ,” confirmed this feeling with his first commercial radio play on 102.1 The Edge , live performances on CTV Ottawa and CHCH Morning Live , placement on Sirius radio and Stingray TV , and a myriad of features in digital publications . Favron is absolutely back , and ready to show the world that there is no stopping him with new music , videos , performances , and collaborations in the works .
MIA BELLA
Madelyn Isabella Aikins , a . k . a . Mia Bella , is not only a singer-songwriter , she is also a dancer and makeup artist . She did competitive dance growing in the GTA and headed to George Brown College after high school for its commercial dance program . There , she discovered a love for singing and songwriting .
Bella released her first singles in 2019 , “ Sky Line ” and “ J ! NKS ,” which signaled the arrival of a nearly fully-formed artist . Her brand of gritty , sultry pop is perfected on her latest single , “ Scorpio .” She is emotional , vulnerable , and gentle at the core , but covered in a fierce , powerful , feminine attitude on the outside . Combining genres of pop and R & B with a little bit of funk , she is breaking boundaries with her new music .
ISHAAN GROTRA
Though he ’ s not even a teenager yet , Ishaan Grota has been striving for music greatness for years . Singing and making music has been his obsession since he was three years old , belting out his own songs on a small toy piano . Since then , Grota has performed with the Mississauga Children ’ s Choir for several years and then joined the AFGM ( A Few Good Men ), a boys choir group in Oakville , ON . He says he feels most comfortable on stage and has been involved in numerous musicals with the Play Project at the Mississauga Living Arts and also is member of a competitive hip-hop dance team .
Grota has classical vocal training , reaching RCM level four with honours , alongside training in pop music . To date , he has released seven original songs , including “ Summer ,” “ Give It a Minute ,” and “ Fearless ,” which showcase a grasp of composition and vocal control far beyond his years . Recently , Grota was asked by Canada ’ s Got Talent finalist Stacey Kay to perform as a special guest at some of her live concerts .
78 CANADIAN MUSICIAN