Going out on a high note North Bergen's Ng wins NJN Hispanic Showcase one final time
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After all, the North Bergen teenager has been participating in the competition for the last 10 years, ever since she was a shy seven-year-old, singing and playing the piano under the watchful eyes of judges.
The NJN Hispanic Youth Showcase has become Ng's personal playground because the talented teen, now a 17-year-old high school senior, has won six different championships over the last decade.
Ng, who attends the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan, has performed 10 times in the showcase, held annually at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, and has come away with a title six times. No other performer in the history of the competition has won more than four titles.
"The first time I won, I was seven," Ng said. "I won that time for the piano. Then, I won again when I was eight. That time, I won for vocals. I've been alternating ever since, either competing in piano or vocals. I love competing every year. I get to meet new people, and it's exciting to be able to perform at that level."
When Ng took the stage for her final performance as a vocalist in the competition, she sang "Wind Beneath My Wings" from the movie "Beaches." And she nailed it.
"Since it was my last year competing, I wanted to go out with a bang," Ng said.
And she did, capturing her record sixth NJN title.
"I wanted to dedicate the performance this year to my little sister Mariette [age 14] and my mom [Lucy]," Ng said. "They have always been there for me."
Although Ng is an old veteran of performing on the grand stage of the NJPAC, she said that she felt a twinge of nervousness when she performed May 23 for the very last time.
"I thought that the competition was really good this year, so I was a little nervous," Ng said. "I knew what I had to do, so I just did it."
According to NJN public relations representative Joanne Ruscio, the group spent months of screening video tapes, as well as conducting auditions in Camden and Newark, to get to the Showcase finals.
"There were hundreds of kids at the tryout I went to in January," Ng said. "And they only picked six to move on."
Thirty-seven representatives from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware competed in three categories: vocals, dance and instruments. There are two age divisions: Juniors (age eight to 12) and Teens (age 13 to 17).
Each winner received a $500 scholarship in honor of Tito Puente, the King of Latin Music; Celia Cruz, the Queen of Salsa; and Beatriz Rodriguez, the international dance star. In addition to the scholarships, the 12 winners receive a free trip to Six Flags Great Adventure, as well as other prizes.
According to Ruscio, the NJN Hispanic Youth Showcase is the longest running Latino children's program on the Public Broadcasting System and has received an Emmy Award and many Emmy nominations.
The National Arts Council Co-op selected the program as one of the top six children's programs in the nation. Participants have appeared in motion pictures, on the Broadway stage, and in several television shows, such as Star Search, Showtime at the Apollo and Sabado Gigante, as well as international commercials.
NJN will broadcast a one-hour television special honoring the winners of the competition on July 26 at 6 p.m. and on July 27 at noon.
Considering the competition, Ng was elated to learn that she is the NJN all-time leader in victories and will retire from the competition as the top performer.
"It's a great feeling," Ng said. "It's an overwhelming feeling to know that I'm the only one to win six times. Of course, I'm sad that I cannot compete anymore, but I have to move on."
Ng will graduate from the Professional Performing Arts School later this month and will attend Barry University in Miami in the fall, majoring in broadcast journalism and music in college.
History of talent
While in her performing arts high school in Manhattan (the school that recording artist Alicia Keys once attended), Ng has performed in productions of "A Chorus Line" and "Sweet Charity." She's also been sent to professional auditions, but has not been cast in any acting role.
"I was set to do roles in two independent films, but the funding ran out," Ng explained. "But I would love to be a professional actress, either on Broadway or in movies."
An accomplished pianist, Ng also writes her own music, mostly of the "pop ballad" variety, as she called it. She writes songs in both Spanish and English.
"So far, those songs have been for myself," Ng said. "But I have recorded some of my own stuff. It just hasn't gone anywhere yet."
So where does this rising star hope to be in a few years?
"Well, I want to be on the silver screen and have a multi-platinum record," Ng said.
Nothing like shooting for the stars.
So she hopes to be the next J-Lo?
"Well, kind of, but I want to be good," she laughed, but she mentioned that pop star Marc Anthony and actress Julia Roberts are people she truly respects.
"I want to be able to have an impact on others," Ng said. "I want to be able to help those who had an impact on me. Hopefully, there's a kid out there like me who has the motivation and drive. They can't let anything get them down. They have to go for their dream."
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