Tova Anderson claims KMMR Talent Show title

The eastern portion of the Hi-Line was well represented at the annual KMMR Talent show on Friday as Malta's Tova Anderson took home the first place prize while second place went to a Hinsdale singer and third to a Glasgow duo.

The two songs Anderson sang on the night were House of the Rising Sun by the Animals and Eric Burdon and Sir Elton John's Bennie and the Jets.

"That's stuff from when I was young," Talent Show host Greg Kielb quipped.

Last year at the Talent Show, Anderson tied for first place with comedian Donovan "Beef" Archambault and the two split the first and second place prize. This year, Anderson claimed sole possession of the first place award, netting herself $500. Prior to starting her set, Kielb asked Anderson how here summer was going and what she had been up to since school let out.

"I got a cow," Anderson answered. After receiving her $500 first place check, Anderson told the PCN that more livestock could be in her future.

"Maybe I will buy another cow," she said.

Anderson credits her mother (Kayla Messerly) and aunt (Ella Yeadon) with teaching her to sing. As anyone who was in the audience can attest, Anderson's vocal range is much more dramatic than most soon-to-be sixth graders.

"It hasn't always been like that," Anderson giggled.

Anderson was one of eight acts to perform Friday night including her little brother, 7-year-old Tant Anderson. Unlike his big sister with her powerful singing, Tant took the stage wearing a white glove on his left hand, a black fedora pulled down over his face and when the King of Pop's Billie Jean ripped through the sound system, the crowd started to applaud as the young man shook his pelvis, kicked his leg a couple of time and Moon Walked back and forth across the stage.

"Billie Jean and Bad are my two favorite songs by him," Tant said of Michael Jackson's music library. Though Tant didn't finish in the money, he did receive one of the largest rounds of applause of the night and during his performances the audience clapped and caterwauled, prompting the young man to strut his stuff. Tant told the PCN that he is most likely the best dancer in his family and he defeated his mentor (his mom, Kayla) in the only dance-off the two have ever had.

A young man who did finish in the money was Chisholm Christensen of Hinsdale who performed two songs, one of which an original that was inspired by a dream Christensen's sister had which included her brother and Pop diva Taylor Swift getting married (he also played the guitar for both songs.) Christensen took second place and a $300 check for his efforts.

The duo of Rachel Sigmundstad and Ben Miller of Glasgow took home third place and a $200 check after their acoustic guitar duo in which they sang two songs. See more on the young couple in next week's PCN as the are both members of Trial by Fire who will be one of the opening acts for LOCASH at this year's Phillips County Fair.

The talent on the night was scored by five judges including some former contestants. Eva Yeadon kicked off a night of wonderful singing performances as she sang Love Triangle by RaeLynn and a rendition of the Cranberry's Zombie which would have made Shirley Manson proud.

Marissa Sandvick-Hould and Adrianna Kent combined singing and tumbling (Marrissa crooning and Adrianna tumbling) as the two performed Stay by Zedd & Alessia Cara. At one point, the music on the backing CD stopped, but the two plugged along and did the number a second time, not missing a beat.

The only other non-singing act of the night was the dance and tumbling duo of Gabrielle Giblette and Addison Ulrich. The two wore matching corn-row braids in their hair, matching burgundy shirts and black pants and matching arm tattoos as they flipped themselves, and each other, across the stage.

The final act of the night was Emma Harms, another young lady with a voice that sounded much more mature than an average teenager. Harm's song choices on the night were Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes and Creep by Radiohead, but both of the songs (generally aggressive backing music) were stripped down and made to sound more Jazz-like. Harms eloquently belted out both songs with passion, poise, and conviction.