Filipino-American young belter Lianah Sta. Ana, a grand-prize winner at the recent Apollo Amateur Night, will grace this year’s 84th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, America’s favorite holiday spectacular known for its colorful giant helium balloons and big-name performers, slated for Nov. 25 in New York City and viewed on live television by over 50 million people across the United States.
This piece of good news came from Funfare’s Big Apple Correspondent Edmund Silvestre who reported that Lianah, an 11-year-old student from Laura Donovan School in Freehold Township, New Jersey, will join R&B icon Gladys Knight at Apollo’s first ever “Top Hat” float at the Macy’s Parade after Lianah won the Super Top Dog grand prize at the Apollo Amateur Night’s “Child Star of Tomorrow” category.
“Known as ‘the Soul of American Culture’,” explained Edmund, “the Apollo has hosted Amateur Night, its signature talent contest, nearly every Wednesday night since 1934 at its historic theater in Harlem, N.Y. It has launched the singing careers of legendary artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Smokie Robinson, Luther Vandross, the Isley Brothers, Michael Jackson, D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Gladys Knight and even Alicia Keys.”
Edmund quoted Lianah as saying, ”It was tough considering there were so many talents to compete with, but I had so much fun on and off stage and meeting new people.” Lianah is the first ever Filipino to win the Super Top Dog prize at the Apollo Amateur Night’s 75 years of existence. “Now, participating at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is something I never thought I would experience in my life. My sister Maya and I are fans of the parade’s huge balloons.”
Edmund recalled that in 2008, Charice, Lianah’s role model, graced the same parade with Miley Cyrus, David Archuleta, Rick Astley and James Taylor, among other performers. This year, the line-up of artists includes India.Arie, Big Time Rush, Betty Buckley, Ann Hampton Callaway, the cast of Broadway’s American Idiot, Elf, Memphis, Million Dollar Quartet, the Big Apple Circus, the cast and muppets of Sesame Street, Miranda Cosgrove, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Gloriana, Michael Grimm, Arlo Guthrie, Keri Hilson, Eric Hutchinson, Juanes, Victoria Justice, Gladys Knight, Mannheim Steamroller, Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih, Power Rangers Samurai, Joan and Melissa Rivers, Crystal Shawanda and Jessica Simpson.
The event is watched by over 3.5 million spectators lining up the streets of Manhattan from Central Park all the way down to Macy’s Herald Square on 34th Street and Sixth Avenue.
“Our jaws literally dropped when Apollo’s executive producer informed us that Lianah will be joining Gladys Knight on Apollo’s float at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade,” Edmund quoted Lianah’s mom, Nailah, as saying. “It was a big surprise and we’re all excited to see Lianah joining these big celebrities.”
Lianah said she will donate part of her $2,000 Apollo prize cash to her favorite charity in the Philippines.
Incidentally, the Sta. Ana family would like to thank rising New York designer Robin Tomas for his personal creations donned by Lianah during her previous and most recent Apollo performances.
“Robin, son of award-winning actress Tessie Tomas, made sure he was present every time Lianah competed at Apollo Theater,” said Edmund.
“Robin’s creation has somewhat served as a lucky charm for Lianah,” said Nailah. “We’re very grateful to Robin for his untiring support and confidence in Lianah’s talent. Ang mga gaya ni Robin ang nagpapalakas ng loob namin to compete.”
Lianah was one of the two big winners at this year’s 14th World Championships Of the Performing Arts (WCOPA 2010) in Los Angeles. There, Lianah also wore a gown by Robin and by Oliver Tolentino, another rising Fil-Am designer.
At WCOPA, Lianah, who was part of Team USA, was named Junior Vocal Champion and Over-All Junior Grand Champion Performer of the World, a title won by Team Philippines in 2007, 2008 and 2009. She bested numerous contestants from across the globe, including the Philippines. The senior title was bagged by singer Marielle Corpuz of the Philippines.
Edmund noted that Lianah has been winning several singing competitions since last year, including the New York Knicks’ Kidz Bop Sports Jamz Talent Search at the Madison Square Garden in March, and the Jersey Shore Idol Contest at age 9, the youngest of the 17 contestants. She also sang the national anthem at a Staten Island Yankees game, and America the Beautiful at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, N.Y.
A vocal student at the Staten Island Conservatory of Music since she was five, she also has performed at several Filipino concerts across the US, the most recent of which, according to Edmund, was the September Queens, N.Y. concert of the Greatest Hitmakers featuring Rico J. Puno, Rey Valera, Marco Sison and Nonoy Zuñiga.
The girl with a big voice admits she dreams of following in the footsteps of Charice, but says she will be happy just the same whatever God has in store for her.
“Lianah is focused and possesses the determination and drive to go after what she wants,” said her mom Nailah. “We are also very proud of her ‘never give up’ spirit, her willingness to make mistakes because she knows she must go through them to learn and get better, her courage to try different things and her humility in being able to laugh at herself.”
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com)