Tarina is ‘Simply the best’

Digicel, the fast growing mobile telecommunications provider in the Caribbean is pleased to congratulate 19-year old Tarina Simon on becoming the 2007 Digicel Rising Star of the Eastern Caribbean.{{more}}

The versatile song bird from Dominica performed week after week on the televised Digicel Rising Stars show and won the hearts of the public who by voting and texting on their mobile handsets helped the nursing student own the prestigious title, a top of the line Sony Ericsson phone, a Publishing Contract and a whopping US$10,000 last Sunday.

Giving their pinnacle performances at the Party Stand in Barbados, Tarina did Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” and Tina Turner’s “River Deep” while Antigua’s Daina Barnes performed Gloria Gainer’s “I Will Survive” and Jennifer Hudson’s “And I am Telling You, I Am Not Going.”

At the show the articulate TV hostess Belle Holder, humorously reminded judges, Serpent Watts, Vynnette “Vinny V” Frederick and Wayne “Kool” Simmons that they could no longer give deliberations at the grand finale show and obviously disgruntled that they could not give reviews, the “Trilogy” as they have also been labeled, displayed their grievance by jokingly holding up placards stating “Out to Lunch” and “Next Teller Please.”

But at the announcement of the winner, it was Tarina who with tears of joy hugged her contender Daina Barnes who received the second prize of US$5,000. The show was brought to an exhilarating climax for Tarina as she hugged her mother and fittingly sang her musical idol, Tina Turner’s “Simply the Best” and thanked the voting public and God for her talent.

Digicel’s Director of Marketing Errol Mc Glothan who presented the check commended the voters for their support and described the contestants as incredibly brave. Mcglothan emphasized that they did credit to not only themselves, but also to their country as talented singers.

2006 Digicel Rising Star Kyron Baptiste gave his final performance with the song “The World is a Cycle” by Richie Spice and performed with Peter Ram to the very popular tune, “Woman by My Side.”

The first ever Digicel Rising Stars title was won in 2005 by this country’s Kiyoka Cruickshank.