Photos and review by Maddie Hunt
Peninsula College held its third annual Peninsula’s Got Talent show on Friday, Feb. 9, in the Little Theater on PC’s campus.
In first place, shocking the crowd with his incredible original song, “Memories,” Chi sang and rapped one of the most complex reggae/acoustic spirituals I’ve ever heard. The first place prize consisted of a $500 scholarship and a performance at the 2018 Juan de Fuca Festival, but that seemed second to the stomping, clapping and screaming that followed his incredible performance, as well as requests from several listeners that he play it again.
Chi explained that he’d always been involved with music. He was in a band and a world-touring boys choir when he was younger. He hadn’t seriously picked up guitar until 2012, when he did so to make money. His song was, in a way, inspired when he was studying basic botany. He took time to write about plants, and then started getting angsty about “how much the world sucks” and “needs a lot of help” and it all sort of came together.
Earning second place, Lauren Piper took the stage with an original song, armed with an ice-breaker joke and her guitar. Her song “Only He,” a worship song, can also be heard as a love song. She thought this time of year was fitting for it. The emotion and sweetness in her voice won her a $300 dollar scholarship, and a thunderous audience reaction.
Winning third place was Cecilia Warfield, who sang “I Dreamed A Dream” from the musical “Les Miserables,” stunning the crowd with her flawless execution. Her voice rang out clearly and smoothly, earning a $200 scholarship, and enthusiastic applause.
Acts included a rock performance by Interstate 90, a duet sung with bass and guitar by Shalee and Chris, a solo piece sung with guitar by Naomi Kuykendall, an originally choreographed set of ballet, hip hop, jazz and salsa dancing by Abby Kuth, an acoustic rendition of “Handclap” performed by Quevo, and an original song, “Excogiate,” by Joseph Imanual, better known as Joy.