Madison Galloway is a musician. However, determining what type of musician she is can be difficult.
Playing more than seven instruments, in addition to vocals and songwriting, the 15-year-old from Fergus is bursting with talent and ready to showcase it at the Canadian National Exhibition Rising Star Talent Competition.
Now in its 29th year, the competition gives artists aged 6 to 21 an opportunity to display a wide variety of talents.
The show, which takes place between Aug. 21 and Sept. 6 during The Ex, consists of three rounds: preliminaries, semi-finals and finals. Only 12 competitors will make it to the finals and the grand champion will win $1,000 in the junior category or $2,500 in the youth category.
“(Contestants) can expect to give a performance in front of a live audience,” said show director Vicki McKinney. “They get critiques from professional judges who are in the business.”
McKinney said there will be 200 to 400 people sitting in the audience.
Madison sent in a video of herself singing Neil Young’s Heart of Gold while playing guitar and the harmonica. She said it was very last minute, so she did not know if she would get in.
“I was like ‘Oh well… If you don’t get it, you don’t get it, might as well try,’” she said. “But then I did get picked, so that was awesome.”
Madison said she is not at all nervous about her upcoming performance.
“I love performing in front of people. The crowds don’t really bother me, I like it,” she said.
She has already performed for audiences a number of times, including at the Fergus Truck Show, Spring Equinox Show in Brampton, Masterpiece at Night and Day studios, and even busking at the Elora Mews.
Madison, a Fergus resident, attends Kitchener’s Eastwood Collegiate Institute for the Integrated Arts Program. She has had some lessons in guitar and piano, but she is mostly a self-learner. She had to audition for the programs she wanted to get into but they did not have a guitar or piano program, so she decided to learn the violin. Three lessons later, she was auditioning for the program.
“Oh they have a strings program, I’ll just learn the violin and play with that,” she said. “I don’t know why because I already had vocal and dance that I was going to do.”
She headed into Eastwood with three majors: vocals, dance and strings. She ended up dropping her dance major because she rolled her ankle during the final exam.
However, it gave her more time to focus on her music. In addition to her arts programs, she maintains good grades and has won a number of school awards.
Madison’s mother Wendy says people use the term “magnetic” to describe Madison.
“I know I’m her mom, so I’m biased, but people just seem to be drawn to her,” said Wendy.
Madison released an EP in July. At first, she had made the CDs herself, but after selling out, she decided to get them professionally made.
She is most excited about “performing at the CNE in front of all those people, because that’s just awesome,” she said.
Madison will be up against 72 competitors with a range of talents to showcase, but her strategy is simple.
“Just do the best that I can do, even if I don’t win or anything, it’s still a great experience and opportunity,” she said.
