X Factor contestant Rion Paige is a Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park winner also!
Published 9:08 pm Saturday, September 14, 2013
- Rion Page
Many Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (SOSMP) staff and friends watched proudly Sept. 11 as one of the SOSMP’s very own talents, Rion Paige of Jacksonville, Fla., was not only chosen by four X Factor judges to compete in this season’s X Factor talent show on Fox Network, but was compared to Carrie Underwood by judge Simon Cowell!
Simon, the brains behind X Factor and a judge on the program, told Rion after hearing her sing that he got the same feeling as when he first met Carrie Underwood! “I think you’re literally extraordinary. I really do,” Simon told a beaming Rion. “I’m blown away!” After Rion left the stage, Simon told the other three judges, “I would love to work with her,” something Rion Paige fans across the nation are hoping for also!
Watching Simon and the three other judges during Rion’s performance was akin to watching an adult see their first sunrise…they uttered words of praise for the vivacious young talent and kept looking at each other in awe as if they could not believe what they were hearing and seeing as Rion delivered one of her best songs, Carrie Underwood‘s “Blown Away!” Simon, often poker-faced, smiled during and after Rion’s performance!
The three female judges, Demi Lovato, Paulina Rubio and Kelly Rowland, all expressed how much they liked Rion’s enthusiasm, musical delivery and her positive attitude in dealing with arthrogryposis multiplex congentia (AMC, a disease found in some newborns resulting in decreased flexibility of the joints) and near blindness in her right eye. All four judges stood up with the audience before Rion completed her song as thunderous applause, cheering and many teary eyes took place.
It seems Carrie Underwood was also watching and posted this: “@iheartcarrie: OMG! THIS: http://t.co/byakZ8WKfj #AMAZING @carrieunderwood Very cool! What a beautiful young lady! Sing it, Rion!” which Rion later re-posted on Facebook!
Rion, 13, has been performing at The SOSMP for more than three years, entering various competitions and opening for The Jamie Davis Band a number of times at the SOSMP and across Florida. Rion won the 2012 WQHL North Florida Texaco Country Showdown at the SOSMP and represented North Florida at the state competition at the SOSMP in 2012. She has also competed for and won a performance slot at the Suwannee River Jam at the SOSMP. As a competitor in many of the SOSMP’s competitions, this beautiful young lady with a magnificent voice and personality has become not only a crowd favorite whenever she performs but a friend to others she meets along her way to music history!
John Kubicek, senior writer for Buddy TV, said on his blog after Rion’s performance that he was utterly impressed and picked her as one of his three favorites to go all the way. A poll on his blog shows Rion was the top vote getter of four of Kubicek’s picks from the show with 65 percent voting for Rion!
Facebook and emails lit up during and after Rion’s performance as friends, family, fans and those who had just seen Rion for the first time congratulated Rion and posted photos of her taken prior to her big moment on national TV.
Rion has even attracted the attention of the British with a story on the Internet by the Dailymail.com UK! Other countries have followed suit. And this is just the beginning for Rion Paige as she travels the road to fame and fortune! Every entertainment online and printed media seems to be fascinated with Rion and her outstanding voice. Now, it’s up to the fans to decide who will win as the season continues. She needs your vote as the show continues each Wednesday and Thursday evening on Fox.
For more information about the SOSMP, this event, or to make reservations for cabins, RV, camper parking or primitive camping, go to www.musicliveshere.com, email spirit@musicliveshere.com or call 386-364-1683 .
The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park is centrally located at 3076 95th Drive 4.5 miles north of Live Oak, Fl off US 129 at the famous Suwannee River. The SOSMP is 4.5 miles south of Interstate 75 and 4.5 miles north of Interstate 10 off US 129. Keep an eye out for the SOSMP sign and white painted board fence!
