Johnson named newest Cowboys Star

Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter

 

Strathmore songstress Kirstyn Johnson is glad a couple people told her to enter the Cowboys Star contest held in Calgary Sept. 26-Oct. 24, after winning $10,000 in cash and prizes.
“I was second last but I was lucky number seven, seven has always been my number … I was like this has got to be a good thing, so I sang and everybody cheered and it was fantastic. It was so fun and there were so many people there, in one part of the song they’re all waving their arms along with me,” said Johnson.
“I have never had an experience like that, because I’m normally playing piano, so I have never played for that large of a crowd where I just get to sing and have them react to me.”
She sang Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys as her winning song, which can be found on her website kirstynjohnson.bandzoogle.com. Each Friday night eight to 10 people performed in a karaoke style contest. The top two from each night moved on to the finals on Oct. 24.
The winner was picked 60 per cent on judge’s votes, and 40 per cent on the votes of the crowd. Johnson said when her name was called she cried from the excitement.
“It was a big deal for me, it was a big step. There’s nothing wrong with coming second because it shows that you’re getting a lot of recognition still, you’re just not getting that top spot, and I know there’s always going to be somebody out there better than me, or a million people better than me, but the fact that I got this recognition and the people at Cowboys who were running the event were so excited to see me win, it was a really good feeling,” said Johnson.
In 2013 she competed in the MuchMusic and Coca Cola Covers Competition, coming in second place, and this year she was in the top six of the Stampede Talent Search in Calgary.
Johnson won $2,000 cash, 10 hours worth of recording time at the Beach Advanced Audio Production, and Rockit Vocal Studios will do a personalized vocal program with her. She also has tickets to every Cowboys concert for the next year, and will get to be the opening act for one of the headliners. The win and prizes will allow her to move forward with the work on her CD, which she has been saving diligently for.
On Sept. 25 Johnson recorded two new, unreleased tracks at Up! 97.7 which was her prize for the Stampede Talent Search. She is now offering those two tracks for free to anyone who joins the mailing list on her website, http://kirstynjohnson.bandzoogle.com.
Johnson can next be found at the Shoppers Drug Mart on Nov. 8 as part of the gala for breast cancer awareness. She will have a tri-fold board up showing her accomplishments over the last few years, and 50 per cent of the total sales of her CD will go to the cause.