Up and coming singer Leah Giesey is one of the 14 finalists in the Fifth Third Band Superstar Competition at the Michigan State Fair. The annual Fair is this labor day weekend at the Suburban Collection Showplace located at 46100 Grand River in Novi.
The Superstar finalists will compete Friday, August 29th from 2-6 p.m. and Saturday, August 30th from 2-6 p.m. on the main stage. Leah’s performance time slot is 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. Each competitor will perform three original or cover songs for the judges and crowd.
Contestants will be scored in five areas including vocal technique, entertainment value, stage presence, appropriateness of music and appearance. Bonus points will also be awarded for performing original music and for receiving the loudest audience applause of the day.
She asked four fellow students from the School of Rock Farmington to make up her band The Troublemakers; Michael Tjilos (drums & keys), Scott Thayer (bass), Chris Coburn (guitar), David Moening (guitar).
The Grand Prize Winner will be the headlining performer (two 45-minute sets) the evening of Sunday, August 31st and will receive a prize package valued at approximately $25,000, including; a $2,000 cash prize, songwriting coaching, artist and repertoire song selection and publishing consultation and vocal performance instruction from Nadair Omowale and the Masters of Music Conservatory in Royal Oak, studio production consultation and direction from Chuck Alkazian, recording and mastering of a three song EP at Pearl Sound Studios in Canton and booking consultation with 2 Stones Events.
Leah Giesey is a 15 year old singer who hails from Commerce, Michigan where she is a sophomore at Walled Lake Northern High School. She is also a student at the School of Rock Farmington where she has been a member of the School of Rock’s House Band since August 2012 performing at festivals, schools, fundraisers and other events.
The teen's love of music started at the age of two and she later found her voice singing in the school choir. She took voice lessons at the age of nine and her first performances were at school talent shows singing pop songs and performed Broadway showtunes at B’nai Moshe & Temple Israel in West Bloomfield. She discovered not only a talent for singing but for playing as well and joined the school orchestra. In the sixth grade she participated in Huron Valley’s Got Talent Competition and won 2nd place. By the eighth grade she decided to pursue a career in music.
She has been a student at the School of Rock since 2012 studying voice, guitar, keyboards and bass. She was taught by her mentor Laura Mendoza of the hard rock band White Shag. Mendoza has been instrumental in her career, not only teaching her the basics but steering her in the right direction for her budding musical career. "Leah's voice is really amazing and the band is also very talented. It's really great to see them taking off on their own and taking things to the next level," Mendoza said of her protege.
For more information on Leah Giesey check out her page at www.reverbnation.com/
For more information on the Michigan State Fair visit their website at www.michiganstatefairllc.com
