Who will win Suburban Chicago's Got Talent?
Judges for Suburban Chicago's Got Talent don't have an easy task ahead of them. They have to pick a winner from a diverse and talented musical field of 10 finalists remaining in the summerlong competition.
Will the judges award an act that performs peerless individualized renditions of popular hits? Or will they reward singer-songwriters who are brave enough to perform their own original material? Will the award go to a band, or a single artist?
“We're going to be looking for uniqueness,” said Beth Waller, cultural arts supervisor for the Schaumburg Park District and a returning judge for Suburban Chicago's Got Talent. “We've certainly had some interesting songwriters, but it doesn't have to be original in that way. It has to be original in their interpretation of the pieces they're performing and seriously how they interact with the audience.”
The next two performances in the summerlong talent competition are crucial to swaying the judges' views. There's the Top 10 performance at 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2, at the Prairie Center for the Arts in Schaumburg. Then there's the finale when the winners are announced at the Taste of Arlington Heights at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8.
“Last year at the final show, we the judges had to really sit there and discuss what had happened because a couple of the contestants really came and gave the best performances they ever had in the competition,” Waller said. “So that does affect the final outcome of who wins the award.”
The Top 10 show on Sunday will be the last chance for judges to offer advice to contestants to improve their performances. It's also the last chance for contestants to sway the general public to vote in the Fan Favorite component of the competition.
Videos of each act will be posted online at dailyherald.com/entertainment/talent, and readers can vote for their favorite. The contestant with the most cumulative votes from the three rounds wins the Fan Favorite prize of a Funjet Vacation for two.
But the Top 10 finalists are ultimately vying for the STARter Kit grand prize, a promotional package to help further a budding artist's performing career. It includes a performance as an opening act to a major headliner at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, promotional photos and more.
Suburban Chicago's Got Talent is sponsored by the Daily Herald, the Prairie Center for the Arts in Schaumburg, Onesti Entertainment, AMITA Health, Rohrman Auto Group, Salon Lorrene and the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce.
Here are this year's Top 10:
Amanya Amariel
Hometown: Chicago
Talent: Singer
Biggest sources of inspiration: My kids have been my source of inspiration. I'm trying to make a better life for them.
Life-changing performance of mine: I loved to sing but was very scared for a lot of years. So at about 20 I decided to use it or lose it and that pushed me.
Aviation and the War
Hometowns: Matt Buenger of Addison and Joe Christopoulos of Wood Dale
Talent: Rock band
Biggest source of inspiration: Bringing joy to those who have supported us throughout the years.
Life-changing performance seen: We recently saw Kevin Devine play an acoustic show at Lincoln Hall in Chicago. It left us both changed as we had never seen someone play with such passion while playing an acoustic guitar. The energy from him and the audience combined is something we hope we can one day replicate and experience ourselves.
Laura Burke Band
Hometowns: Laura Burke, Jason Edel, Ryan Gore, Alex Santilli and Mitch Klicki, all of Arlington Heights
Talent: Rock band
Biggest source of inspiration: Michael Jackson
Life-changing performance of ours: All performances inspire us in different ways.
Ryan Cooper
Hometown: Schaumburg
Talents: Vocalist and guitarist
Biggest source of inspiration: Traveling artist at large
Life-changing performance of mine: Summer Camp Music Festival, where hundreds of artists came together for a four-day weekend of nonstop musical expression and ingenuity, capturing each moment with awe-inspiring talent and passion.
Meghan Foley
Hometown: Villa Park
Talent: Singer
Biggest sources of inspiration: I am inspired by the world around me! I can watch a sad show and think that's great song material and write a song. Sometimes a color or phrase launches a song! My friends and family also inspire me every day with their crazy adventures and their constant support. I don't know where I'd be without them!
Life-changing performance seen: I saw Colbie Caillat live a few years ago and she was so down-to-earth and amazing and I was like, “Wow, I really want to do this with my life.”
Rhea Garbis
Hometown: Richmond
Talents: Singer and guitarist
Biggest source of inspiration: George Muligano, my mentor
Life-changing performance of mine: When I was 12 years old, I attended the GirlsRock! Chicago rock camp. While there, we formed bands with some other girls our age, wrote a song (my group just happened to be killer especially for sixth-grade girls), and performed it at the Bottom Lounge. I loved the lights and the cheering crowd, and I felt something that I always wanted to feel.
Laura Kuper
Hometown: Wheeling
Talent: Pop/rock singer and pianist
Biggest source of inspiration: My family. They support me through stumbles and successes, encouraging me every step of the way. They are my biggest fans and every note I sing is dedicated to them.
Life-changing performance of mine: When I was 6 years old, I auditioned for my first musical, “Aladdin,” expecting to get a leading role. However, I ended up being part of the ensemble. I realized that a lot of hard work is required to be in a leading role, and ever since that performance, I have been taking voice lessons, hoping to get my shining moment some day. This experience allowed me to recognize my love for performing and inspired me to pursue music.
San Star Sandberg
Hometown: Geneva
Talent: Singer
Biggest source of inspiration: My mom. She is my biggest fan. She has always supported all of my dreams. She had taken me to auditions. I could never thank her enough for all she has done for me.
Life-changing performance of mine: I have loved to sing since I was 3 years old. So there isn't really a performance that made me want to be a singer, because I have wanted this my entire life. Although, when I sat down to answer this question, I thought about my own past performances. About a year ago I was performing in my school's talent show. I sang the song “Blown Away” by Carrie Underwood. Toward the end of the song I would walk over and step on a button to turn on this fan to blow my hair and dress. Right before I went onstage the mic cords got tangled together. As I was singing I was realizing that I'm not going to be able to reach the fan. I'm pulling and pulling on the cord and getting closer and closer to the end of the song. So I thought about my options, and I decided to sing loud and I didn't even need this mic. So I set the mic down on the ground and kept going. This performance made me realize my ability to actually perform. A lot of singers would have freaked out and not known what to do. From that day on I realized that I actually had it in me to succeed as a singer.
Serendipity
Hometowns: Daniella Ballarino of Mount Prospect, Haley Blomquist of Elk Grove Village, Lizzy Petitt of Arlington Heights, Anneliese Schulz of Elk Grove Village and Josie Treffy of South Elgin
Talent: Rock band
Biggest sources of inspiration: Katy Perry to the Foo Fighters, Fall Out Boy, etc.
Life-changing performance of ours: Playing Bolingbrook on a huge stage with lights and cameras.
JT Snyder
Hometown: Barrington
Talent: Pop singer
Biggest sources of inspiration: My mother and father
Life-changing performance of mine: Playing at the House of Blues.
Suburban Chicago's Got Talent Top 10
Showtime: 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2
Location: Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg, (847) 895-3600 or
prairiecenter.orgTickets: $10Suburban Chicago's Got Talent FinaleShowtime: 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8Location: Taste of Arlington Heights, Campbell Street and Vail Avenue, Arlington HeightsFree admissionTop 10 judgesBeth Waller: Cultural Arts Supervisor for the Schaumburg Park DistrictJohn Flamini: Chairman of the Cultural Commission, Village of SchaumburgBarbara Vitello: A Lisagor Award-winning reporter, Daily Herald theater critic and legal affairs writerRon Onesti: President and CEO of Onesti Entertainment Corporation, which runs the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles and outdoor concerts throughout the areaHostRob Pileckis: The Chicago resident has hosted events such as Screen Test Student Fest film festival, Summer Breeze concert series and the Schaumburg Youth Orchestra's “Presto!” holiday concerts. He's also conducted interviews onstage with celebrities, including opera star Danielle de Niese and Robert Osborne from Turner Classic Movies. For his day job, Pileckis works as production supervisor at the Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts.