Langenburg’s Jess Moskaluke has been nominated for a Western Canadian Music Award for Country Artist of the Year, the latest in a long line of award nominations for the musician, which included winning a Juno in 2017. Since her career is going strong in 2020, let’s look back at where it all began, in front of the Grandstand in 2007, with a win in the GX94 Star Search competition, and her interview with Calvin Daniels in the July 11, 2007 edition of Yorkton This Week.
For 17 years the GX Star Search has been a grandstand highlight of the annual Yorkton Exhibition, and seats were again packed Saturday evening as eight finalists vied for this year’s winner’s buckle.
When the eight performances were complete the panel of judges secreted themselves away in a nearby motorhome, emerging in time after selecting this year’s winner, Jessica Moskaluke.
Asked if the win came as a surprise, the Langenburg singer exclaimed “I was. Obviously I was bawling!” She added it was an amazing moment as the announcement sunk in. “My friends were dog-piling on me.”
Moskaluke said topping Star Search this year was unexpected, but something she was hoping to do one day.
“Scott Welke won this before and he’s from our town [Langenburg], and he’s a close family friend. So it’s always something I’ve wanted to accomplish. It’s just great,” she said.
Moskaluke said after her two-song performance she wasn’t sure she had put on the performance needed to catch the nod of the judges.
“I had a little slip up,” she said, then added it may have only been a miscue to her own ear. “I’m probably my own toughest critic.”
The 17-year-old perfoemer added she wasn’t sure what to expect Saturday having been feeling ill from probable heatstroke earlier in the day. So she simply went on the stage, gave it her best, and that turned out to be the best of the night for the judges.
For her two songs, Moskaluke chose a song from a favoured artist, and one to show her musical range.
Why Haven’t I Heard From You is one of Reba McIntyre’s songs, and was an easy choice, said Moskaluke. “Reba is my absolute favourite... I’m going to Craven specifically for Reba.”
In the case of All Jacked Up from Gretchen Wilson, the song was chosen to show what Moskaluke could do vocally. “It was something I could show off my range on,” she said, adding that the song has some higher notes. “On a good day I can hit them,” she said with a smile.
The win for Moskaluke came after only seriously pursuing music for a few years. She said she began about three years ago.
“My dad [Tim] sort of pushed me to start. He heard me singing in the shower and said ‘you can sing’,” she said.
Initially, Moskaluke said things didn’t go well when she tried competing on stage. She took part in the GX Junior Star Search and exclaimed “I sucked! I got nowhere. I didn’t get past the first round.”
Among the prizes for Saturday’s win is recording time. Asked if she would record cover songs or originals, Moskaluke said she hasn’t started writing yet, but it is in her plans to start.
“I kind of like trying to do something new every year,” she said.
In her first year performing it was simply a goal to get better. In her second she said, “I picked up a guitar and sort of taught myself.”
Moskaluke said this year she hopes to give songwriting a try. “A lot of people have offered to help already,” she said.
The win on the Star Search stage is one Moskaluke hopes propels her further along the road to an eventual career in music. With a year of high school still ahead, she is already looking at attending the University of Brandon, in large part because they have a really good music program.
In the end though, Moskaluke said she just wants to keep music in her life.
“I really, honestly don’t care where it takes me as long as I can do it for the rest of my life, and keep enjoying it,” she said.
Moskaluke succeeds Jodie Diederichs who was the 2006 GX Star Search champion.
