BY LUCY CAULKETT
A young teenage singer has won a Waltham Forest talent competition and will be performing before a 30,000 people audience in July. Habone Mohammed from big creative Education in Blackhorse Lane was selected by judges for her version of Bon Ivers Skinny Love at an event organised by the Barbican centre at circle 33 housing association at primary court community centre on Saturday.
The delighted teenager said she was shocked to win the competition and was looking forward to bigger things ahead. She told eye of Media ” I am absolutely delighted to have been chosen as the winner of this competition. I have never won anything in my life except for a scratch card. There were many talented people in this competition and as much as I gave my best, there was no way I saw this coming. I cannot express my joy enough and want to thank everyone who has supported me throughout my journey. I just hope this leads to better things”.
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The event was packed with enthusiastic spectators and furnished with a wealth of talent in spoken word, soul, and hip hop. It was so refreshing watching a number of youths putting their energy to something productive rather than the futility of street crime that has ravaged the borough for a while. It is barely 24 hours since a conflict of words between the local police and the chairman of better way partnership(ABWP) emerged over the rise of knife crime in the area. The last year alone has recorded 144 stabbings in the area with 92 unrelated ambulance attendance to incidences involving 92 weapons
However, organisers of the event were keen to distant themselves from the senselessness of street crime that has threatened to permanently ruin the reputation of the area. Spectator Sharon Bourne told eye of media ” it was an honour to watch these youngsters battle it out for the top spot. It just goes to show that many teenagers have talents that need to be nurtured, including those on the streets who just waste their lives. All many of these people need is direction. Seeing many of these with their parents and families present just shows that support and encouragement from a good family unit and friends go a long way. The young girl who won was very good and I will definitely be coming to watch her again in July.
I travelled a fair distance from Ealing Broadway where I had gone to see relatives to see this event which did not disappoint. I was truly indecisive myself as to whom I would have made the winner if I were a judge on this competition. Runner ups Alexis Reid, Elliot Ezra and Justine Crave all seemed equally good., but there had to be one winner. I will make it a point myself to attend her next event in July, what an atmosphere that will be.
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Photograph (Credit: Camilla Greenwell)
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