Following a live show with a limited in-person audience at Yardley Hall in Overland Park, Darcie Hingula was announced as the winner of the 2021 KC SuperStar competition.
This was the 12th annual competition produced by The J - Jewish Community Center, which draws high school singers from across the metro to compete for the KC SuperStar title and $10,000 first prize scholarship.
This was Hingula’s second year to compete for KC SuperStar. A recent graduate of St. Teresa’s High School, Hingula will be attending Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.
With the theme of “KC SuperStar goes to the Movies,” WDAF FOX 4 Morning Anchor Abby Eden served as host for the evening as the 10 finalists performed in group numbers as well as solos.
A highlight of this year’s show was a special number performed by past KC SuperStar finalists including Anthony Fortino (2010), Byron Hyde (2015), Emma Mathieson (2019 and 2020) as well as Michaelah Burns Weaver, the top prize winner in 2011. Weaver and her husband, Kaleb, served as this year’s music directors.
Once the performances were complete, a three-judge panel trimmed the list down to the top four with donors voting to select the ultimate winner and three top places. Second place went to Elaine Watson, a recent graduate of Lee’s Summit North High School who is now attending Wichita State University. She received a $5,000 scholarship.
In third place receiving a $2,500 scholarship was Bryson Kendall, a Desoto High School graduate now enrolled at Mid-America Nazarene University. Fourth place and a $1,000 scholarship was awarded to Vaysia Knust, a Blue Springs South graduate who is attending the University of Missouri’s School of Music. Other finalists receiving $500 scholarships included Emma-Kate Salin, Abby Augustine, Claire Anderson, Janelle Moreno, Kloe Wagner and Reyna Myvett.
KC SuperStar is The J’s top fundraising event, and this year came in at $1.1 million to support programs and member scholarships for the organization. Needs have increased this year due to the pandemic making the fundraiser more important than ever.
During the evening, The J announced the donation of $10,000 from KC SuperStar proceeds to support Jewish Family Services’ YouBeYou teen mental health program. The donation was motivated by a past KC SuperStar finalist, who lost his life in his battle with mental health earlier this year.