Theresa Sokyrka

Last updated

Theresa Sokyrka
Born (1981-04-01) 1 April 1981 (age 43)
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada
GenresPop, folk, Jazz
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Years active2004–present
Labels Independent

Theresa Sokyrka (born 1 April 1981) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. On the second season of Canadian Idol , she was the final runner-up to winner Kalan Porter.

Contents

Biography

Born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Sokyrka studied music at Red Deer College in Red Deer, Alberta. She is drawn to the blues and jazz more than other musical genres, and sings with passion and vulnerability. She loves to scat, adding flare and style to her songs. During an Idol taping, Lionel Richie said there was "the soul of an old black woman living inside her". She comes from a very musical family, and she plays the violin, guitar, and piano.

She was Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 Youth Ambassador. [1]

Sokyrka currently lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Her 2013 album,Prairie Winds was recorded, mixed and mastered in Madrid, Spain in two weeks. [2]

Canadian Idol

On the second season of Canadian Idol , Sokyrka was known for scatting during her songs, the grace she showed during the judges' critiques, and her friendly personality. Zack Werner once said she was his favourite singer on the show from the first two seasons. A memorable comment made about Sokyrka came from judge Jake Gold; he said "Your future is so bright, I've got to wear shades" as he put on his sunglasses. Kalan Porter said it was great ending the show with Theresa, and that she had something really special to offer. The duet they performed during the finale, "True Colors", was arguably one of the most touching moments in Canadian Idol history.

Songs that Theresa performed during the season included:

WeekSong SungArtist
1st Audition"God Bless the Child" Billie Holiday
Toronto Audition No. 1
Group Performance
"You've Got a Friend" James Taylor
Toronto Audition No. 2
Duet Performance with Mohanza Kelly
"Unforgettable" Nat King Cole
Toronto Audition No. 3
Solo Performance
"Try" Blue Rodeo
Top 32"Summertime" Eva Cassidy
Top 10"Good Mother" Jann Arden
Top 9"There's a Kind of Hush" Herman's Hermits
Top 8"Piece of My Heart" Janis Joplin
Top 7"Hello" Lionel Richie
Top 6"Song For a Winter's Night" Gordon Lightfoot
Sarah McLachlan
Top 5"Cruisin'" Smokey Robinson
Top 4"It's Only a Paper Moon"
"Dream a Little Dream"
Ella Fitzgerald
Louis Armstrong
Top 3"What The World Needs Now Is Love"
"Ready For Love"
Jackie DeShannon
India.Arie
Top 2"Awake in a Dream"
"Come Away With Me"
"Cruisin'"
Idol Single
Norah Jones
Smokey Robinson

Her standout songs on the show were "Summertime", "Good Mother", "Song For A Winter's Night", "Cruisin", "Ready for Love", and "Come Away with Me".

Discography

Studio albums

YearAlbum detailsPeak Certifications
(sales threshold)
CA
2005 These Old Charms
  • Released: 26 April 2005
  • Label: Independent
  • Format: CD
4
  • CA sales: 70,000
  • CRIA: Gold
2006 Something Is Expected
  • Released: 5 September 2006
  • Label: Maple
  • Format: CD
7
  • CA sales: 13,000
2007 Wrapped in Ribbon
  • Released: 5 November 2007
  • Label: Independent
  • Format: CD
2010Theresa Sokyrka – Ukrainian Roots
  • Released: 30 November 2010
  • Label: Independent
  • Format: CD, digital download
2013Prairie Winds
  • Released: 4 June 2013
  • Label: Independent
  • Format: CD, digital download
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

EPS

Singles

Other appearances

In addition to the above mentioned, Sokyrka was featured on Kalan Porter's album "219 Days" (2004). Also "Baby, It's Cold Outside" a single with Matt Dusk in 2007.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dolly Parton</span> American country musician (born 1946)

Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily for her decades-long career in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album debut in 1967 with Hello, I'm Dolly, which led to success during the remainder of the 1960s, before her sales and chart peak arrived during the 1970s and continued into the 1980s. Some of Parton's albums in the 1990s did not sell as well, but she achieved commercial success again in the new millennium and has released albums on various independent labels since 2000, including her own label, Dolly Records.

<i>Canadian Idol</i> Television program

Canadian Idol is a Canadian reality television competition show which aired on CTV, based on the British show Pop Idol. The show was a competition to find the most talented young singer in Canada, and was hosted by Ben Mulroney. Jon Dore was the "roving reporter" for the first three seasons. Elena Juatco assumed the role for season four, Dave Kerr had the role in season five and Jully Black in season six.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holly Cole</span> Canadian jazz singer

Holly Cole is a Canadian jazz singer and actress. For many years she performed with her group The Holly Cole Trio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalan Porter</span> Canadian singer

Richard Kalan Porter is a Canadian former singer-songwriter from Medicine Hat, Alberta, and the winner of the reality television series Canadian Idol in 2004. He started to sing at an early age and is classically trained, playing several instruments, most notably, the violin and viola. He writes and arranges violin solos for many of his songs. Porter's first single "Awake in a Dream" is the best selling debut single for a Canadian artist to date and has been certified 8× Platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association. He is also the highest selling solo Canadian Idol singer. In 2013, he was a graduate student in business at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Music in the Canadian province Saskatchewan, one of the Prairie Provinces, includes a variety of genres including Indigenous music, folk, country, jazz, and classical traditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Star Is Torn</span> 18th episode of the 16th season of The Simpsons

"A Star Is Torn" is the eighteenth episode of the sixteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 8, 2005. The episode was written by Carolyn Omine and directed by Nancy Kruse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Awake in a Dream (song)</span> 2004 single by Kalan Porter

"Awake in a Dream" was the debut single released by Canadian singer-songwriter Kalan Porter. It was written by Rupert Gayle, Adam Alexander, and Chris Perry as the coronation song for the winner of the second season of Canadian Idol. Porter and runner-up Theresa Sokyrka each performed "Awake in a Dream" on the show and recorded a studio version in the event they won. The song later appeared on Porter's 2004 debut studio album, 219 Days.

The Juno Awards of 2006 were held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on the weekend of 31 March to 2 April 2006. These ceremonies honour music industry achievements in Canada during the previous year.

The fourth season of Canadian Idol began in February 2006 ran until September 2006. Zack Werner, Jake Gold, Sass Jordan, and Farley Flex returned to judge, and Ben Mulroney returned to host, with Elena Juatco as the new roving reporter. The season premiered on May 29, five days after the finale of American Idol Season 5. The Canadian Idol title was awarded to competitor Eva Avila on September 17, 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ayla Brown</span> American singer

Ayla Marie Brown is an American singer and former NCAA basketball player from Wrentham, Massachusetts. In 2006, she was a contestant on season 5 of American Idol, finishing within the top 16. Shortly after the season's conclusion, Brown attended Boston College on a full basketball scholarship, and graduated in 2010.

The fifth season of Canadian Idol is the fifth installation of the Idol series in Canada. It was again hosted by Ben Mulroney, with Farley Flex, Jake Gold, Sass Jordan and Zack Werner all returning as judges. The show premiered on June 5, 2007, with a 90-minute episode. Voting began during the fourth week. New events introduced that season included the Help Idols build a house and the Kraft Confidential with David Kerr. The elimination song for this year was Walk on Home by Kalan Porter. The final episode of the season was broadcast on September 11, 2007, when Brian Melo was crowned Canadian Idol.

<i>Canadian Idol</i> season 2 Season of television series

The second season of Canadian Idol debuted on June 1, 2004, and became the most watched show in Canada, drawing in over 3 million viewers each week.

Amber Fleury is a Canadian recording artist, and was the eighth-place finisher in the third season of Canadian Idol, which aired during the summer of 2005. Born in Dauphin, Manitoba, she now lives in Calgary, Alberta where she is a paralegal.

<i>These Old Charms</i> 2005 studio album by Theresa Sokyrka

These Old Charms is the debut album by Canadian Idol finalist Theresa Sokyrka, released across Canada on April 26, 2005.

<i>Wrapped in Ribbon</i> 2007 studio album by Theresa Sokyrka

Wrapped In Ribbon is Canadian Idol finalist Theresa Sokyrka's Christmas album, released for purchase online on November 5, 2007.

Canadian singer-songwriter Kalan Porter has released two studio albums, six singles, and five music videos. Porter rose to prominence after winning the second season of Canadian Idol in 2004. His coronation single, "Awake in a Dream", spent eight weeks atop the Canadian Singles Chart and set the record for the best-selling debut single for a Canadian artist. Both of Porter's albums reached the top ten of the Canadian Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haley Reinhart</span> American singer

Haley Elizabeth Reinhart is an American singer, songwriter, and actress from Wheeling, Illinois. She first rose to prominence after placing third in the tenth season of American Idol. In July 2011, Reinhart signed a recording deal with Interscope Records. Her debut album Listen Up! was released on May 22, 2012, to critical acclaim, and she subsequently became the first American Idol alumna to perform at Lollapalooza.

"New York" is the twenty-second episode and season finale of the second season of the American musical television series Glee, and the forty-fourth overall. The episode was written and directed by series creator Brad Falchuk, filmed in part on location in New York City, and first aired on May 24, 2011 on Fox in the United States. With a $6 million budget, it was reportedly the most expensive episode of Glee at the time of broadcast. It garnered a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Costumes for a Series. The episode features an appearance by Patti LuPone as herself and guest stars Jonathan Groff, Cheyenne Jackson, and Jake Zyrus. The McKinley High School glee club, New Directions, performs at the National show choir competition in New York City and finishes in twelfth place. While they are there, the glee club members see the sights, including Times Square and Central Park. Rachel and Kurt sing a song from a Broadway stage, as does their director, Will Schuester.

Colleen Brown is a Canadian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Edmonton, Alberta.

References

  1. "Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 Youth Ambassador Visits North Battleford Students" (News and Media Release). Government of Saskatchewan. 30 November 2005. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  2. "Theresa Sokyrka Biography". Sing 365. Retrieved 15 March 2010.