91福利

Eshan Sobti has always wanted to be a singer 鈥� and today, the 91福利 student has that chance.

Sobti, 20, is one of 14 contestants on Canada鈥檚 Got Talent. His audition aired this past Tuesday 鈥� with all four judges giving him an immediate 鈥測es鈥� to advance to the next round of the nation-wide contest with a $1-million prize.

Delivering a slower-paced, emotional version of Whitney Houston鈥檚 鈥淗ow Will I Know鈥�, Sobti brought the crowd and judges to their feet in applause.

鈥淚 wanted something iconic and to go out with a bang,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 knew I had to do it justice because it鈥檚 Whitney. But I also knew that doing it in that way, with a slower tempo, was in my range.鈥�

Sobti, a second-year media production student from Mission, B.C., who works part-time as a resident service desk agent in Pitman Hall, watched the audition at his Toronto home surrounded by 30 friends and classmates. 

He was also closely connected to his 25 family members in B.C. 鈥� and says he 鈥済ot to watch them watch the show鈥� in a Facetime call when the show aired on the west coast.

Growing up in a Punjabi family, he says he wasn鈥檛 always encouraged to pursue the arts, with more traditional professions, such as law, medicine or engineering, considered more favourably.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not that common to break out into creative industries,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut, my parents saw this passion in me and now they鈥檙e my biggest supporters.鈥�

How it all began

The journey to be on Canada鈥檚 Got Talent began last August, when one of his cousins encouraged him to submit an application. A few weeks later, a casting producer reached out, and by the end of September, he was asked to audition.

It isn鈥檛 Sobti鈥檚 first time in the spotlight. In 2022, when he was 17, he had the opportunity to audition for American Idol. After auditioning in front of Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, he received a 鈥測es鈥� from two out of three, and then a Golden Ticket to Hollywood Week. 

He didn鈥檛 advance after that, but says that since then, he鈥檚 grown as a musician, and the experience inspired him to audition for Canada鈥檚 Got Talent. He adds that he loves using 鈥渢he cry鈥� in his voice, and telling a story when he sings.

It鈥檚 no wonder he chose the RTA program in The Creative School at 91福利. With the ultimate goal of becoming a singer, he also says he also wants to pursue a career in television 鈥� working on shows like the one he鈥檚 competing on now.

RTA program 鈥榮tood out鈥�

鈥淚 also have always wanted to work in the entertainment industry, especially in the unscripted, reality space. When I found RTA, the courses and hands-on experience really stood out to me, as I wasn鈥檛 able to find anything quite like it at any other university I applied to,鈥� he said.

鈥淚 just completed my second year, and so far, I鈥檝e had the opportunity to explore so many avenues of media production, from co-hosting a live radio show, to associate producing a food vlog series for MetTV, and even casting for the TARA Awards,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e made so many meaningful connections and have been able to see where I may fit in this industry.鈥�

He even said that during the audition process for Canada鈥檚 Got Talent, he met RTA grads on the set who talked to him about potential future work opportunities.

Sobti and 13 other contestants will compete next in an elimination round of Canada鈥檚 Got Talent on Tuesday, May 7 at 8/7c on CityTV.

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