Rhonda Carriere. (Facebook photo/Rhonda Carriere)

By Brady Bateman

Chasing your dreams

P.A. singer checks Voices of the North off bucket list

Feb 21, 2019 | 3:01 PM

The Prince Albert Winter Festival continues this week, with a variety of events taking place throughout the city, including Voices of the North.

Voices of the North features a variety of up and coming performers from northern Saskatchewan, but one singer in particular who will take to the stage has a story that sets her apart.

Rhonda Carriere has dreamed of performing on the Voices of the North stage for many years, and this year those dreams come true.

“I’ve been auditioning for Voices for years,” Carriere said. “I’ve always wanted to sing at Voices of the North. I’m definitely not the best singer, but I love singing and they always inspired me. I just wanted to be on their show once.”

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Roughly three years ago Carriere began experiencing stomach problems. After visiting a doctor she was told she was experiencing gallstones, and while a doctor noticed a small spot on her pancreas, she was told she had nothing to worry about.

“They went ahead and did the gallbladder surgery to remove the gallstones but I had been having stomach problems since my surgery that was in 2016,” said Carriere. “Around Christmas time last year I was starting to feel real sick and lifeless. I went to the walk-in, then to the outpatient where they admitted me. They did an urgent MRI and sent that report to the same doctor in Saskatoon. He called me shortly after, and that’s when he informed me that I had pancreatic cancer.”

Carriere remarked that although she is fighting for her life, and soon starts chemotherapy, it hasn’t stopped her from crossing her singing aspirations off her bucket list.

“I just always wanted to perform in front of an audience, I usually like to karaoke sing, but it’s very different when you’re performing in front of an audience with a band,” she said. “I think it’s going to boost my spirits and help me get through this chemo.”

Carriere plans to perform Honky-Tonk Angel, a favourite song of her mother’s. She is grateful for the opportunity to perform and said she was thankful her sister Lisa approached event organizers to nominate her to sing.

Sheryl Kimbley, producer for Voices of the North, told paNOW singers come from across the province for a chance to participate in the Aboriginal talent showcase.

“Our founder Bernice Sayese, who has been deceased for several years now, is our big drive for what we do, she’s our continuous inspiration. Years ago she decided, along with a group of people, that there needed to be a place to showcase Aboriginal talent,” Kimbley said.

Since its inception Voices of the North has featured more than 1,000 performers. A variety of musical genres will be represented from rock, to country.

Voices of the North begins tonight at 6:30 p.m. and runs nightly until Feb. 23. Admission is $15 for adults, and $10 for youth.

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brady.bateman@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TheDigitalBirdy