Yvonne McNamara is a Courageous Gifted & Talented Rising Star!
Yvonne was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes prior to her 3rd birthday in 2010 which was life-threatening and challenging where she found herself locked away inside herself.
Listening to music daily enabled Yvonne to learn how to self-isolate her mind from the effects of diabetes by humming and singing to herself. Sometimes she would quietly sing herself to sleep.
A close musician friend of the McNamara’s, who also taught music for over 30 years, pointed out Yvonne’s vocal skills and musical gift. The gift of music was seeded.
Friday nights at ‘’Jungle Jim’s’’ was the first live platform stream for local talent where Yvonne was asked to perform with a musical group ‘’Hardly There’’. The moment of clarity was a declaration when Yvonne sang ‘’Halleluiah’’ without a rehearsal, vocally amazing the crowd, and receiving an overwhelming standing ovation.
At the age of 9, Yvonne took part in her local children's choir at church during Christmas Mass. The Vocal Director happened to be Yvonne’s family doctor who encouraged her to perform at the “New Brunswick Festival of Music. There she met her vocal coach, Elaine Boulanger, and began professional vocal lessons that next September. Yvonne auditioned and was selected to perform on the Empty Stocking Fund that was broadcasted all over the local TV networks to help raise money for families in need at Christmas.
Yvonne met local singer Ron Maloney at ‘’Jungle Jim’s’’ one night after his performance. We later discovered Ron was the father of the doctor that ordered Yvonne’s blood work and who had her life-flighted to the IWK where they saved her life from being in DKA.
Ron Maloney introduced Yvonne to singer Steve Lyons who booked her on his country music show. After she sang ‘’Blue’’ by Leanne Rimes, she became a regular on Steve’s shows. Yvonne was a featured artist during the Saint John Exhibition and amazed everyone. In December, Yvonne performed for a fundraiser raising funds for the disabled with The Old KV Boy’s Club.
Yvonne inspired “Theresa Malenfant”, a celebrated artist from Moncton NB, after hearing her perform ‘’The Tennessee Waltz’’. She admittedly shed a tear after her performance. Theresa had Yvonne later that year attend a gathering at a local pub in Moncton, NB and Rib Fest in Moncton and a Blues Fest in Fredericton, NB.
Yvonne received the Gold Standard recognition for her performance of “Pie Jesu” and “Come to the fair” during the Music Festival in Sussex, New Brunswick in May 2019. She went on to compete at the provincial level in Classical Music, and being the youngest of all the competitors, she placed 3rd in the Province of New Brunswick.
In January of 2019, Yvonne's videos were spotted on Facebook in a group called Singers and Vocalists by Tay Williams. Tay reached out after watching ‘’Thank you for the Music’’ and introduced Yvonne to Chris Powel from “Stars Worldwide”. Yvonne has been working with Tay Williams on stage presence and learning to become more animated, with a focus on Pop and R&B.
In February of 2019, Yvonne was approached by Chantal Paul O’Neil to perform with Kids in Bluegrass during summer concerts held all over the Maritimes. The first concert was in Dundas, PEI where Yvonne sang “Grand Pa” by the Judds and “I Fall to Pieces” by Patsy Cline. Yvonne also performed at the Bluegrass Festival in Truro, Nova Scotia and met Xuan, a rising star in Country music and has competed in Nashville TN.
In October of 2019, Yvonne met the owner of CMTC (Canadian Model and Talent Convention) in Moncton NB and was selected to compete in Toronto in June 2020. She was accepted to compete in acting, singing and modelling. However, CMTC was postponed due to COVID-19 and is to be continued at a later date.
In February 2020, Yvonne began working with Al Atkinson, Producer and Seamus Traynor, Assistant Producer and DJ at MOB Radio (International Internet radio station) and Gifted Kids around the World where not only were her songs played on the radio, she also created jingles and radio announcements for the station. Yvonne’s music is now playing on Mob Radio on a regular basis. Yvonne has also begun working with Wanda Ryan, Founder and Managing Director of Dandelions of Courage Performing Arts & Entertainment Group Agency located in Toronto, ON. Yvonne will be featured as an upcoming new artist and a Spotlight artist in May 2020 with Mob Radio and Dandelions of courage.