Music is ‘therapy’ for Fort Erie singer Selena Carlson
October 24, 2024 at 4:29 AM
Selena Carlson has come a long way since she discovered her singing voice.
The 23-year-old Fort Erie resident is known around town and the region for singing at charity events, often delivering Canadian and U.S. national anthems.
But she’s also working on four original songs to be recorded with Michael Hanson, founder of the iconic 80s band Glass Tiger.
When Selena was younger, she lived in Toronto and was considered non-communicative and diagnosed with autism.
But she moved to Fort Erie at age 13 and things started to change rapidly a couple of years later when she met Beatrix Csemer, a vocal coach at Fort Erie School of Music who took her under her wing.
A GoFundMe has been started by Csemer with a $2,000 goal, and as of Wednesday night, it had already generated $1,400.
The online fundraiser is to cover recording costs, as well as fees associated with distribution to streaming services such as Apple Music and Spotify.
Credit: Selena Carlson“It’s exciting where Selena came from and how this all started,” said her mother Corrina in an interview with Fort Erie Radio on Wednesday.
Selena is also thrilled about the progress she has made.
“I feel like I’m dreaming,” she said.
“Music is like therapy,” she added.
Some of her influences and favourite singers include Celine Dion, Doris Day, Jennifer Hudson, Barbara Streisand, Frank Sinatra, and Michael Bublé.
For many years, Carlson has also been involved with TASC Niagara, a non-profit established in 1998 that offers music, drama and social interaction for people with disabilities.
The organization’s next production is ‘Beauty and the Beast’ in which Carlson has landed the role of Belle.
Earlier this year, Carlson received accolades for being an “outstanding youth” through the Inspire Awards in Toronto, as well as through Pride Niagara for her volunteerism, providing her voice at various events.
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About The Author
Kris Dubé
Kris is a veteran journalist who has worked in Niagara for close to 20 years. He is also a lifelong resident of Fort Erie, a place he plans to call home and raise his family for many more years.
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