SXMElections.com

MAHO--The Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Casino’s Theatre Royale exploded with talent on Saturday for the third annual TelCell Breakthrough Talent Show Competition.

Winning the various categories were Aldi Farrell for instruments; Rumari Rogers for rapping; Lian Borsje for dance, Kyanni Atmpawiro for vocals and Paul Brown for “beatboxer.” Special awards were presented to Rogers for Best Team Spirit; Lisha Maduro for Most Punctual; Aldi Farrell for Producers Pick; Celina Monsanto for Most Creative Performance and SMS Campaign winner Leann Richardson.

The TelEm Group said the competition was successfully managed through collaboration of a team of volunteers from TelEm Group and promoter Xtratight Entertainment.

Xtraight Entertainment representative Berteaux “Mr. Rude Fleming” will be working with this year’s winners under the Rock N Vibes Studio to fine tune their talent. They will collaborate on a “hit track,” which they will put together themselves, in all the stages, including writing the lyrics, making the beats, producing their own music video and then promoting the end product once it has been professionally mastered, TelEm said in the release.

The TelCell Breakthrough winners will also feature on posters and promotional material for the next year delivering positive messages to their peers and youths throughout the island. The first performance of the new group will be on November 1, for the Little Miss St. Maarten show, at the Philipsburg Cultural and Community Center with the group’s first photo shoot planned for October 19.

Event coordinator Angel Richardson said organisers will “continue to learn and grow every year and we already have some great ideas for the 4th TelCell Breakthrough event for next year.” She thanked parents for supporting the event and the youth who have embraced the show as a platform for creative expression.

During an address at the event, Minister of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth Affairs Rita Bourne-Gumbs urged parents to continue to foster the natural talent that their children have. She also urged youths to continue to follow their dreams and TelEm Group to continue to provide the important vehicle of the Breakthrough event to assist the island’s youth.

TelEm Group Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Brian Mingo said “the TelCell Breakthrough event is our way of giving back to the community and to the youth of St. Maarten as good corporate citizens with a duty and responsibility to society in general.

“The night was about nothing else, but the youth, our youth, and what they have to say, not in words, but through their creative actions and talents,” he added.
Organisers said the event was held in the presence of “a full house” with many persons unable to get in to the show.

In addition to the performance from competitors; there was an impromptu singing performance from Member of Parliament (MP) Tamara Leonard and VIP guest for the night.