Meet Aza Deschamps, the teen who just voted Best Musician, Band, or Singer in Revelstoke. A talented singer who prefers pop to alternative but is happy to sing any genre, Aza is well known around town despite her young age. She can be found performing everywhere from sidewalk sales and summer music at the plaza, to coffee houses and even the third annual garlic festival.
Aza's love of performing started in the fourth grade, where she had a small solo in a school performance. Her parents, Shane Deschamps and Sarah Mickel, were approached afterwards.
"Someone suggested we should put her in voice lessons," Mickel says. Already learning the piano, and later the guitar, Aza became a student of last year's winner in this category, Joanne Stacey.
"Joanne has been amazing to me," Aza says. "She's been my mentor from the beginning. I've been so lucky to be part of this community and family that has really backed me."
While Aza loves to perform well-known music, she has also written and performed her own original songs. The autumn of 2016 will see her spending time in Vancouver to record a single track.
Aza already has memorable stage stories, including the time she and several friends who were performing together were locked in the green room when they were being called to stage.
"We made it there," she laughs, "because finally our screaming was heard by a man backstage." Another exciting moment was receiving encouragement and feedback from professionals in the industry.
With everything going on, it's refreshing that Aza is unassuming and kind. "I'm excited to see where it all goes," she says, "but right now I'm really going to focus on school."
It's safe to say that with both her talent and work ethic, whatever she chooses, her future is very bright.
Aza Deschamps opens for Steve Palmer at the Powder Springs on Wednesday, Mar. 1. The show is at 7 p.m.