N.S. SINGER FROM P.E.I. FIRST NATION GETS GOLDEN BUZZER ON CANADA'S GOT TALENT
A 19-year-old Indigenous singer from Fall River and the Abegweit First Nation in Prince Edward Island has advanced on Canada’s Got Talent after getting a golden buzzer from judge Howie Mandel.
DeeDee Austin performed on the show Tuesday night, getting raves from Mandel for her performance of Buried Truth. It’s a song she wrote to honour the victims and survivors of Canada’s residential school system, using stories from her great-grandmother’s experience at Shubenacadie Indian Residential School.
“To be totally honest I didn’t know how the judges were going to perceive my performance because it is such a heavy topic,” she said in a post-performance social media video released by the program.
CANADA'S GOT TALENT | GOLDEN BUZZER EPISODE 2 - DEEDEEDeeDee Austin took the stage unsure of how her story would be received. She left with Howie Mandel’s Golden Buzzer—and a standing ovation. ✨ Inspired by her family's experiencel, Dee Dee’s ambition is to share her truth through her songs. This is her ambition made real. Watch all the Golden Buzzer moments on #CanadasGotTalent, Tuesdays at 8/7c on Citytv or stream it on Citytv+! CIBC | #AmbitionsMadeReal #CGT
Posted by Canada's Got Talent on Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Mandel said that “I felt like when you were singing, that I was listening to the voice and the story told by your grandmother.”
Austin was named 2024 Indigenous Artist of the Year at Nova Scotia Music Week in November.
“What you’re doing is not only great, it’s important,” Mandel told her.
Austin is described on her website as a hybrid artist who embraces contemporary and traditional Indigenous music.
2025-03-26T12:30:57Z