by Sylene Argent
For the second year in a row, local musician Jon Brett, who prides himself on writing songs that begin on a serious note then evolve into a parody, has entered CBC’s Searchlight competition.
Brett’s recent entry into the competition is called, “Kill it With Fire,” which will send chills up the spins of those who do not enjoy the company of spiders.
The idea for the song’s storyline, Brett said, came from peculiar news stories he came across on the internet that included individuals using an extreme measure that may have led to the burning down of their house to get rid of spiders.
Brett said the genre in which he writes his own music may vary, but all of his song lyrics are comical.
“I want [my listeners] to laugh, enjoy it, and I want it to be a surprise,” Brett said of his music. “Most songs start one way, then change with that element of surprise. My main goal is to get [my song] stuck in their heads. So far, I have been successful in that regard.”
Brett’s supporters can vote for his song, or perhaps hear it for the first time, at www.cbcmusicsearchlight.ca.
The first round of voting will take place between Tuesday, February 5 and the 14. Voting for round two, which will include the top 100 entries, will run from Wednesday, February 20 and Tuesday, February 26, and the top 10 voting round will take place between Thursday, February 28 and Tuesday, March 5, 2019. A judging panel will also be included in the second and third rounds.
The grand prize winner will be announced on Thursday, March 7. The Searchlight 2019 grand prize includes the Allan Slaight Juno Master Class and Juno Awards experience, a week in a recording studio at the National Music Centre in Calgary, and a chance to perform at the 2019 CBC Music Festival, the contest website notes.
The local songwriter is hoping this tune will advance quite far into the competition, but he will need support, via online voting, to do so. The public can vote once per posted song per day, during the first round of voting.
Last year, Brett entered his song, “Uni the Unicorn” into the competition. He began writing the fun parody around three years prior. It is about a unicorn who shows up in town one day, after arriving with a rainbow, but he humorously begins to attack people.
To hear more of Brett’s music, check out youtube.com/jonbrett.