Rebecca Strong is now $1 million richer after being crowned the winner of Citytv鈥檚 鈥淐anada鈥檚 Got Talent鈥� Season 3.
The Indigenous singer from Prince Albert, Sask., claimed the reality competition鈥檚 first million-dollar prize in a two-hour finale featuring eight finalists.
Viewers across Canada voted to determine the winner of what Citytv鈥檚 parent company, Rogers, billed as the biggest cash prize in Canadian television history.
The finalists were whittled down from over 100 musical, dance, comedy and novelty acts.
Vancouver Island鈥檚 funky dance duo took home second place.
Funkanometry鈥檚 Jacksun Fryer from Nanaimo and Carlow Rush took a risk and put the flow of their routine in the hands of judges Howie Mandel, Lilly Singh, Trish Stratus and Kardinal Offishall, who could control them 鈥渓ike a video game鈥� with paddles that read faster, slower, or reverse. As they danced to Queen鈥檚 We Are the Champions, the duo adjusted their routine to fit the directive.
Singh was amazed they decided to 鈥渢ake the biggest moment of their lives and leave it up to the judges.鈥�
鈥淭hroughout this entire season, everybody has been cheering for you guys. You鈥檝e definitely been a favourite for so many people across the country,鈥� Offishall said after their performance.
In a video before they took to the stage, Rush said their journey on Canada鈥檚 Got Talent had been amazing.
鈥淲e鈥檝e always dreamed about being on a show like this in our own country,鈥� Fryer said. 鈥淭he secret to Funkanometry is mixing the old school with the new school 鈥� If there鈥檚 good music, I鈥檒l dance to it.鈥�
The hip hop and popping dance duo previously made it to America鈥檚 Got Talent semifinals in 2022, and are the second act from the central Island to make it to the finals of Canada鈥檚 Got Talent in two years 鈥� Lantzville鈥檚 Raymond Salgado also made it to the season finale in 2023.
Meanwhile, another B.C. act, Mission鈥檚 Eshan Sobti finished third in the competition after a performance of David Guetta and Sia鈥檚 鈥淭itanium鈥� during the final episode.
Sobti advanced to the finale by making it through the public vote after last week鈥檚 episode. The Mission singer previously performed 鈥淭he Power of Love鈥� by Frankie Goes to Hollywood during the elimination round last week and earned a standing ovation for Whitney Houston鈥檚 鈥淗ow Will I Know鈥� in the audition.
During the finale, Sobti and his parents were interviewed about his pursuit of music. After a rendition of 鈥淭itanium鈥�, Sobti was praised by judges Kardinal Offishall, Trish Stratus and Lilly Singh.
Stratus said the judges could be looking at the million-dollar winner after the performance.
鈥淚鈥檓 a little emotional about it because it鈥檚 your story that sets everyone鈥檚 hearts on fire and I know that鈥檚 what Canada was feeling when they voted you through. They felt it. They knew it. They saw your talent. I have goosebumps,鈥� Stratus said.
鈥淚magine if you actually gave up on yourself,鈥� Offishall said. 鈥淵ou would not be in this position right here killing it tonight. This is not about who chose you in the past 鈥� tonight you choose. And you chose to be excellent, my friend.鈥�
鈥淚 relate so much to this idea of entertainment as a hobby, singing as a hobby, being funny as a hobby, so I respect so much that not only is it nerve-wracking to be on the stage but to be on the stage against all of those obstacles. There鈥檚 so many kids 鈥擯unjabi kids, but kids of all cultures 鈥� looking at you saying 鈥業t鈥檚 possible, I can do that. I want to be like Eshan.鈥� You just did that for so many kids watching at home, so thank you. You are a star, boy. Eshan, you are a star, baby,鈥� Singh said.
One day after the Indigenous singer from Prince Albert, Sask., took home the competition鈥檚 first $1-million prize, Strong said she expected the victory will help push her ambitions to the next level.
鈥淭his means a lot of musical growth and a lot of opportunities I鈥檝e been waiting for like recording new music, and travelling and playing more cities, hopefully outside of Canada too,鈥� Strong said Wednesday in a video call.
In her final bid for Canada鈥檚 vote, Strong belted out Adele鈥檚 鈥淩olling in the Deep鈥� on Tuesday鈥檚 episode. The 20-year-old Strong said appearing on 鈥淐anada鈥檚 Got Talent鈥� marked her biggest audience yet.
鈥淚鈥檝e been singing on stages since I was five so it鈥檚 crazy to think that this is even happening,鈥� Strong said.
She encouraged anyone with a talent to pursue it.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e having doubts, don鈥檛 even think about what other people are going to think about you, your talent, or what you want to show the world and just do what you do,鈥� she said.
The show鈥檚 third season also awarded $25,000 each to six Golden Buzzer acts 鈥� performers deemed good enough to progress from auditions straight to the semifinal.
The top prize was significantly higher than the $150,000 awarded at the end of Season 2 to a dance troupe from Quebec.
鈥攚ith a file from Canadian Press
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