Singer sparkles on Canada’s Got Talent reality show
By Mark Pavilons
Editor
There's no shortage of talent in King.
King City native Sai Juttukonda was a hit on Canada's Got Talent, which aired April 16.
Juttukonda performed a cover of “Jealous” a ballad by Labrinth, which received praise from all four judges. Lilly Singh found her on TikTok and invited her to audition on the CGT stage.
Singh discovered 27-year-old Sai on TikTok and invited her to audition for the judges in Niagara Falls.
Juttukonda, whose parents live in King City, said she feels blessed to have gotten the call. It's the culmination of years of singing and something she always dreamed of.
She noted she never sang competitively or in front or large crowds. She admitted to being quite nervous, and suffered from stagefright, but there was no way she was going to let that stand in her way. In her performance, she seemed quite comfortable and natural on stage. She does admit most of it was just a blur and doesn't remember all the details.
Well, the rest of the world does.
Trish Stratus said she was blessed to have this job for “moments like this. I'm excited to see what's next for you.”
This is your real, true calling, said Kardinal Offishall.
Howie Mandel said he will follow her journey, which he's sure will go a long way.
Singh said she's happy to be part of Sai's journey, and gave her the first yes. “Your life is legit about to change!” Singh said.
She took to the stage to thank Sai, noting “you killed it. Never doubt yourself again.”
Juttukonda said she chose the song because it was a good fit for her and her deeper register.
The audition allowed her to get out of her comfort zone, noting the experience was a lot of fun. She's still trying to wrap her head around the almost celebrity status.
She's received calls and emails from many people, including former classmates and teachers. Her parents have also been inundated with congratulations.
They deserve it, as much as Sai herself.
Her parents have been strong supporters of her singing her entire life. But they encouraged her to go to school and get a good job first.
Sai works in cybersecurity and noted her parents didn't even know she had a TikTok account. That's where Singh discovered her and put her in the national spotlight.
To view her performance, visit YouTube Video: YouTube.com/watch?v=PZiYA6ebCiw 1
Sai is now waiting to see who will move on to the semi-finals. But now she's prepared. With initial jitters gone, there's nothing holding her back.
Canada's Got Talent airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on Citytv.
This season, Rogers is giving $1 million to the winner of Canada's Got Talent – the biggest cash prize in Canadian television history.
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