SFU’s Got Talent 2020 proves that SFU really does got talent

by Lubaba Mahmud, Staff Writer

The Peak had a chance to go to SFU’s biggest musical production, SFU’s Got Talent, on March 6. The club Peak Frequency organized the show in collaboration with the SFSS and Global Student Centre.

All judges were SFU students with considerable experience in the music industry. According to the event’s Facebook site, the judges were Tawanda Nigel Chitapi, co-founder of an entertainment company (and is also the SFSS’ VP Finance), Andrea Tabo, a YouTuber who posts covers with 30,000 subscribers, and Jamie De Guia, lead vocalist and keyboardist for the professional jazz band Clavinova Nights.

The organizers created a very lively atmosphere, and the audience’s enthusiasm was visible from the beginning. All of the acts were very enjoyable, as each participant clearly performed with heart and soul. While there were many splendid musical covers, performers that displayed individuality, be it with completely original pieces or self-choreographed dance routines, stood out the most. Here’s some of the highlights of the show:

Mylles Mondragon performed an original piano piece called “ABABCB No.1 in C minor.” It was a dramatic and intense performance, one that clearly showed the strong command he had over the piano.

Kaitlyn Yap dedicated her original traditional Chinese dance to her mother, who had passed away due to cancer. She delivered a heart-wrenching and captivating performance as she danced to the instrumental version of “Missing You” by John Waite.

Brian Warui’s self-choreographed break dance to Justin Bieber’s “Where Are Ü Now” seemed incredibly effortless, yet sleek and elegant. The judges commended him for tailoring a lot of the moves to the song’s lyrics and for having good connection with the audience.

Devin Lu and Bohan Jiang’s (who are both part of the West Coast Groove) beatboxing act was simply incredible. Tawanda commented that they were better than a beat-machine, and the audience’s cheer clearly expressed wide approval.

Patrick Juan’s rendition of “Running Up Freestyle” by Megan Thee Stallion was a crowd-favourite as he engaged the audience with his charming personality.

Shawn Liu introduced the audience to the Chinese erhu instrument, and then proceeded to treat the audience to a unique take on Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect.” His performance showcased a harmonious blend of western and eastern music. Liu also expressed the need for positivity in the midst of the racial hate going on because of COVID-19.

SFU alumni Kevan “Scruffmouth” Cameron performed two original spoken word poems titled “Seven Laws of Spit” and “Wordsmith.” His witty pieces of poetry and exemplary storytelling had both the judges and audience hooked from the beginning.

Shina Likasa’s mash-up of “Breathin’” by Ariana Grande and “I Know a Place” by MUNA garnered high praises from the judges for her impressive voice control, runs, and overall perfect execution.

The People’s Choice winner, as decided by online voting, was Patrick Juan. Kaitlyn Yap was second runner’s up while Kevan “Scruffmouth” Cameron became third runner up. Shina Likasa was the overall winner of SFU’s Got Talent 2020.

In case you missed it, you can view the livestream of the event on the Humans of SFU Facebook page.