Every day this week, we'll introduce you to a pair of our Searchlight contenders who are going head-to-head in a sudden death vote to make it to the Searchlight Top 4. Click here to vote for your favourites.
This week, it's the city mouse versus the country mouse as Searchlighters Absolute Forever (from Vancouver, B.C.) and Henry Norwood (from Perth, Ont.) vie for a spot in the final four.
Edmonton-raised, Vancouver-based Sam Halaby (a.k.a. Absolute Forever) was enjoying a successful junior hockey career until an accident side-checked that dream. But he doesn't regret what happened afterward.
"The way fate works, I'm only here because of that accident, so I can't complain about that," he says.
With less time devoted to hockey, Halaby had more time and energy to focus on another passion: music. He found himself writing lyrics and working on new songs in and around waiting tables at the Olive Garden. The result: a debut mixtape, Absolute, coming out in the fall.
In hockey, it's important to hustle — and Halaby's certainly been applying that to his music career. When he describes his writing and recording, his day job and his music goals, he's always looking forward. He even has his personal motto programmed into his phone to go off several times a day to remind him of his main focus: to move and inspire people through his music.
The ride has been a family endeavour; Halaby's business partner is also his cousin. And, while recording the mixtape, Halaby's sisters were in studio, too. "I trust them with my life, so I trust them to tell me when I can do better," he says.
What happens when you mix Absolute Forever's rap stylings with Joni Mitchell? Click below to hear Absolute Forever's song "Sweet Talker" (and click here to listen to his Searchlight entry, "Moon Music").
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Absolute Forever, "Sweet Talker."
While Vancouverite Halaby is repping the urban hip-hop sound, Norwood is bringing his take on the classic country sound you can often hear in his hometown of Perth. A listen to Norwood's deep, whisky-tinged voice and you would never believe that he's only 14, the youngest contender in the Searchlight Top 8.
Unlike many of the other Searchlighters, who have recorded demos or full albums, Norwood is fresh to the music scene. In fact, it was his aunt who convinced Norwood to enter the contest (and helped him record his entry song the night before the deadline!).
With little online or social media presence, it's Norwood's hometown of Perth that has stepped up to support one of their own. Drive through the town of nearly 6,000 and you'll see signs all over encouraging everyone to vote for Norwood in the Searchlight contest. A local grocery store has even been handing out flyers with deliveries encouraging people to vote. And if he wins, Norwood plans on paying the favour forward: he's promised part of the Yamaha music gear prize to both his elementary and his high schools.
Click below to hear Norwood's Searchlight entry song, "Another Bottle Another Day."
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Henry Norwood, "Another Bottle Another Day."
And there you have it, the third pair in the showdown to make it to the next round of Searchlight! Click here to vote daily for your favourites.
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