Surprise win for show idol

By Kelly Yates
NARRE Warren singer Deb Street has walked away with the title of this year’s Berwick Show Idol.
Ms Street, who performed a version of One by U2, said she was shocked at winning the open section event.
“Competing in the event was emotional as I’d only just heard during the day that a friend had passed away from throat cancer,” she said.
“So I did it for him.”
Ms Street began singing as the lead singer in her primary school band, The Carpenters Kids.
“Singing for me is a stress relief and my first love,” she said.
Second place in the Berwick Show Idol open category went to 76-year-old yodeller Harry Rose and third place was awarded to Emily Mulholland.
Naomi Horsley, one of the Berwick Show Idol organisers, said the competition had attracted 51 contestants during the audition process.
“We had singers and musicians of all genres including classical, contemporary and musical theatre,” she said.
The performers battled it out on Saturday from 5.45pm to 8pm in the hope of being crowned the first Berwick Show Idol.
The judges of the event were singer-songwriter Kerrigan LaBrooy, Jessica-Jade Bruce and Frank Deegan, owner of the Central Hotel in Beaconsfield.
“The judges had a hard task as everyone brought their own talents and skills to the competition,” Ms Horsley said.
The junior section winner of the Berwick Show Idol competition was Frankston singer Sheralyn Hill.
The nine-year-old sang an unforgettable version of You’ll Never Walk Alone, according to Ms Horsley.
“She’s a tiny girl with such a huge and powerful voice,” she said.
Second place in the junior section went to Amber Auffray from Berwick and third place was presented to 10-year-old Remi Meleka from Glen Waverley.
The audience also got to have their say with the Berwick Show Idol’s people’s choice award, with Bridget Ioannou taking home the prize.
More than $1000 was raised from the Berwick Show Idol, with all of the funds going to the Cancer Council Victoria’s Relay for Life.
The Berwick Show Idol contestants will be performing at the Central Hotel in Beaconsfield this Saturday at 9pm.
For details call Wayne Smith on 0417 389 039.