Local singer Dani Cherniwchan is headed for the finals of Variety's Got Talent this weekend.
Photograph by: Submitted photo , for the TIMES
A Chilliwack teen is heading to Vancouver to sing in the Variety's Got Talent final after claiming victory in the B.C. talent competition's People's Choice Contest.
Dani Cherniwchan, 16, garnered more than 500 votes for her acoustic cover of Sara Bareilles's "Bluebird." She beat out 11 other People's Choice finalists for the right to join nine rival singers in this weekend's final.
Cherniwchan said advancing to the final is thrilling, especially considering the talent of those performers she beat out.
"It was just so surreal," she said of learning that she had won. "I was just so excited."
Hundreds enter the contest every year. After learning that she had been selected as a People's Choice finalist, Cherniwchan blitzed the media, campaigned on Face-book, spread the word at school and handed out flyers to win voters.
The Sardis secondary student said she was thankful for all those who helped put her into the final.
"It really makes me feel quite special because so many people put in the time," she said.
Cherniwchan will head to Vancouver Friday for a day of vocal and performance coaching with the other finalists. The following evening she will take part in the final at the River Rock Show Theatre.
Although she has performed in public before, Cherniwchan said she's never sung in front of as large a group of people as will assemble this weekend at the River Rock. And the stakes have never been so high- the winner of the contest will receive a "Rising Star" prize package and appear on the Variety Show of Hearts on Global TV.
"I'll be ready when the time comes," she said.
