When Revelstoke teen musician Aza Deschamps sang in an elementary school play as a block of cheese, she had no idea that music would become her life.
鈥淭ill eighth grade I had my heart set on being a pediatric cardiologist,鈥� says Deschamps.
鈥淭hen I started watching Greys Anatomy and realized that I鈥檇 have to start going to school for 14 years. And I hate school.鈥�
Recently, Deschamps found out she鈥檚 in the top 100 for 2019 CBC Searchlight. According to CBC鈥檚 website, the competition is CBC Music鈥檚 annual hunt for Canada鈥檚 best undiscovered talent.
She is one of 10 B.C.-based artists who made the list.
READ MORE:
This year, they鈥檝e partnered with the Juno Awards. Prizes include a spot in the Allan Slaight Juno Master Class, which is Canada鈥檚 premier talent development program in Toronto. The winner will also perform at JunoFest and perhaps at the Juno Awards.
鈥淚f I win, it would be life changing,鈥� says Deschamps.
Out of thousands of submission, half of the top 100 were decided by votes and the remaining 50 by CBC judges. The second round of voting is now open to decide the top 10, which will be announced on Feb. 28. The ultimate winner will be determined by judges and announced on Mar. 7.
鈥淔or Canadian musicians, CBC Searchlight is a big deal,鈥� says Sarah Mickel, Deschamps鈥� mom.
Deschamps submitted her original song Strangers to the competition.
It鈥檚 been a busy couple years for Deschamps. She has released two original singles, Strangers and Ordinary, has a third video in post production, is about to release an album and is enrolled in full time school.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been crazy,鈥� says Deschamps with a laugh.
She says it鈥檚 always a funny conversation when people ask how she writes her own songs. They expect her to say she sits down with a cup of tea, notebook, cross legged on her bed with guitar in hand and just writes. Like in the movies.
鈥淏ut that never happens. It鈥檚 like I鈥檓 in the middle of a math test and I have something in my head and I ask to go to the bathroom. I run to the band room and just record a little riff on my phone before I forget,鈥� says Deschamps.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always in the most inconvenient times.鈥�
Deschamps recently released the music video for Ordinary on Feb. 15. She found it incredible how many people were involved behind the scenes bringing it all together. It was filmed in Vancouver in Gas Town.
鈥淥ur manager was lying across the road. Taking his time while filming and people are just honking. We didn鈥檛 want to get permits,鈥� says Deschamps.
鈥淲e just thought we鈥檇 shoot it at 7:30 a.m. in the morning. And we鈥檒l just lay in the streets and the cars will have to stop. That鈥檚 shooting a music video on a budget,鈥� says Mickel.
Deschamps doesn鈥檛 know what the future will bring, but she knows what she wants.
鈥淯ltimately, the dream is to be happy. And make other people happy.鈥�
While it would be pretty cool to be a big music star, Deschamps says she just wants to have people hear her music.
鈥淓ven if it isn鈥檛 my be-all career, I want to give it my all and see where it goes.鈥�
You can vote for .
liam.harrap@revelstokereview.com
Like us on and follow us on .
