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Ridge singer vies to be People’s Choice

18-year-old young woman wants your vote for last spot in annual Variety’s Got Talent competition.
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Ray Gibson of Maple Ridge.

Ray Gibson is hoping to be British Columbia’s next singing sensation, but she needs your help.

The 18-year-old young woman from Maple Ridge is vying for the last spot to compete in the annual Variety’s Got Talent competition.

More than 200 contestants in between the ages 13 to 29 from across the province submitted videos for the talent contest.

From now until midnight on Feb. 3, Gibson will be looking for votes for her video on which she sings an acoustic version of If I Die Young, by The Band Perry.

Sitting in the corner of a room, she closes her eyes and tilts her head to the ceiling, crooning the words of the popular country song.

“If I die young, bury me in satin.

Lay me down on a bed of roses.

Sink me in the river at dawn.

Send me away with the words of a love song.”

She needs to defeat nine other hopefuls from across the province.

In her bio she says she started performing music at the age of three and won’t perform without her good luck charm bracelet.

She enjoys performing heart-felt, slow songs the best and would one day love to open for her favourite band, Rascal Flatts.

On Feb. 9 at The River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, nine finalists plus the People’s Choice contest winner will battle it out in from of a panel of five judges.

Judges for the final showdown at the River Rock: Bruce Allen; award-winning Canadian country music duo One More Girl; Shannon Tweed-Simmons, wife of KISS band member Gene Simmons and co-star of Gene Simmons Family Jewels; and Global BC’s Steve Darling.

The winner will receive a Rising Star Prize Package and appear live on the Variety Show of Hearts Telethon on Feb. 16.

Vote

• To vote for Gibson in the People’s Choice contest or to purchase tickets to the final event that takes place at  7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9 go to http://www.variety.bc.ca/talent.htm.