Entertainment

B.C.'s Desirée Dawson takes CBC Searchlight's top prize with ethereal voice

Surrey, B.C.'s Desirée Dawson has won CBC Music's Searchlight competition, earning the grand prize valued at $50,000.

Winner of annual talent hunt gets studio session, mentorship, album production, distribution and more

Vancouver-born singer-songwriter Desirée Dawson won CBC's 2016 Searchlight competition. (Submitted by Desirée Dawson)

Surrey, B.C.'s Desirée Dawson has won CBC Music's Searchlight competition, earning the grand prize valued at $50,000.

The singer-songwriter, who's track Hide showcases her ethereal vocals, was selected from more than 2,000 musician hopefuls in the annual online talent contest.

People could vote on their favourites and the finalists performed in front of an audience and judges during a special on CBC-TV Sunday evening.

The judges included rapper-producer Maestro Fresh Wes and Sarah Blackwood from the band Walk off the Earth.

Dawson's top prize includes $25,000 worth of equipment from Yamaha Canada and a Canadian Musician magazine package with a studio session, mentorship, album production and distribution, worth more than $25,000.

She'll also make an appearance at the CBC Music Festival in Toronto May 28.  

You can learn more about Dawson here.