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The votes are in for CBC Music's Searchlight 2018

After receiving over 2,000 submissions to CBC Music's 2018 Searchlight competition, its three celebrity judges have declared singer-songwriter and hip-hop artist aquakultre as the winner.
CBC Music's 2018 Searchlight winner, Aquakultre, performs in the q music studio in Toronto in March. (Anders Marshall/CBC)

After months of waiting, the winner of CBC Music's Searchlight 2018 competition is here. His name is Lance Sampson, a.k.a. aquakultre, from Halifax, N.S. As the winner, aquakultre will receive a prestigious placement at the week-long 2018 Allan Slaight Juno Master Class in Toronto, Canada's premiere artist development program, as well as an industry showcase in front of a selection of its top players at the end of the week.

He also wins a trip to the 2019 Juno Awards to perform at JUNOfest, plus a week-long recording residency at Studio Bell in the National Music Centre in Calgary. Finally, aquakultre will perform at the 2018 CBC Music Festival at Echo Beach in Toronto.

After receiving over 2,000 submissions, our celebrity judges whittled down the competition down to 10 contestants, listed below.

— Produced by Frank Lockyer Palmer and Anders Marshall


Sara Diamond from Montreal, Que.

Song: "Stay a Little"

Fallbrigade from Victoria, B.C.

Song: "Sweet Hope"

Sinzere from Calgary, Alta.

Song: "On Time"

Jordana Talsky from Toronto, Ont.

Song: "Run"

Amanda Jackson Band from Charlottetown, P.E.I.

Song: "Dance into the Light"

CC Trubiak from Flin Flon, Man.

Song: "Raven"

aquakultre from Halifax, N.S.

Song: "Sure"

Chloe Hataley from Ottawa, Ont.

Song: "Palace"

The Kwerks from Vancouver, B.C.

Song: "Firelight"

Scarlet Sway From Dawson Creek, B.C.

Song: "Room of Mirrors"