Featured photo: Bleau McCray-Morel recently won $2,500 and other exciting prizes after his heart stirring performance at the Capitol Theatre.
Written by Tanya Terry
Five Flint area youth recently received an amazing opportunity to express themselves on stage at Flint’s historic Capitol Theatre for the Signal Boost concert and competition. They also received prize money, money donated to an organization they care deeply about and studio time for sharing their talent.
Bleau McCray-Morel’s bluesy sound and soulful voice got him voted the first place winner by the judges, who were all well known and respected figures within the city. He played the guitar and sang about the state of Flint.
“I really moved into the city when I was like 15, and I’ve seen some wild stuff in these six years I’ve been here,” McCray-Morel said.
He said Flint is a beautiful place, but it can also be a “really scary place.”
McCray-Morel grew up in a musical family and plans to work in the music business. His father, Larry McCray, is also a musician.
“My father is already an established artist who in the blues genre is very large,” he said. “I don’t know if I’m going to go in the exact direction he went, but I’m going to do me and play what makes me feel something.”
Besides receiving 10 hours of studio time and $2,500, which McCray-Morel said will be saved and used to take care of his family, through the competition; he earned an additional $2,500 to be given to the nonprofit organization of his choice. He chose to give the money to Whaley Children’s Center.
“I chose that because my parents have always supported me and told me ‘I think you can do this,’ and there are kids who don’t have that support system or anybody to care about them,” McCray-Morel said. “I can’t imagine that.”
Jo Ikigai was voted by the audience as their favorite finalist. She shared an extremely emotional spoken word piece in which she addressed the problem of sexual assault, having been a victim of sexual assault herself. She received $1,500 cash and a $1,500 donation to the local nonprofit of her choice, as well as 10 hours of studio time.
“That piece came from one of the purest places it can come from from an artist,” Ikigai said. “I really didn’t create it to share with anybody. I created it solely for myself to heal myself, to take care of myself in the aftermath of what had taken place-and it just so happened that this opportunity came up to share somewhere else.”
Ikigai’s donation will go to I Found My Voice.
I Found My Voice addresses the needs of sexual assault/domestic abuse survivors by providing quality programming that helps participants find healing through artistic creation and self expression.
Other finalists Jenna Clark, Messiah “SiahD” Douglas and Kameron “King Kam” Motley also gave stunning performances.
In addition, Mama Sol and Tha N.U.T.S., Charity, Jon Connor and Ace Gabbana entertained the crowd.
The show was presented by Luma, a company located in Los Angeles, and Shop Floor Theatre Company locally.
