Watch: Riverhead Idol’s award-winning performances
Riverhead, we have an Idol.
Aria Saltini, a junior at Riverhead High School, won the 2014 Riverhead Idol competition Saturday night at the Riverhead Town Senior Center in Jamesport.
The theme this year’s event was “The Art of the Remix,” with the performers taking older songs and making them new.
Ms. Saltini, 17, of Jamesport took the crown after singing “Hallelujah.” The song written and first recorded by Leonard Cohen in 1984 — about 13 years before Ms. Saltini was born.
Second place went to 12-year-old Lia Schellinger, a seventh grader at Riverhead Middle School. She sang Adele’s 2011 hit, “Someone Like You.”
Megan Schlichting, 13, an eighth grader at Riverhead Middle School, won third place after singing, “Wind Beneath My Wings.” The song was a hit for Bette Midler in 1988 and for Lou Rawls in 1983.
This year marked the 11th year for Riverhead Idol, where local teenagers show off their singing abilities, a la American Idol.
Riverhead Councilman Jim Wooten was the master of ceremonies, as he has been for each event. The judges were Barbara Blass, Bobby Brown, Dee Martin, Carol Sclafani and Marion Stark.
A total of 19 singers participated. Last year’s winner, Taylor Burgess, made a cameo appearance and sang “Breathless.” The group of young competitors also sang a song together that was a mix of Lorde’s “Royals” and MIA’s “Paper Planes.”
Scroll down to watch the performances.
Aria Saltini
Lia Schellinger
Megan Schlichting
