Five Hartland Singers Reach Sensations Finals

Of the 12 finalists singing in the Livingston Sensation competition taking place this weekend in Howell, five of them are not only Hartland graduates, but friends as well.

Kaitlyn Barbee, Walter Johnston, Abby Killingbeck, Lexee Longwell and Melissa Mercieca are former Hartland High School classmates and theater alumni who will be singing for the top spot at the Howell Melon Festival this Sunday.

“We just all really love each other,” Mercieca, a 2011 graduate, said of her four friends and fellow singers. “I don’t feel competitive towards them at all.”

Hartland parent and former member of the Hartland Music Boosters, Maggie Chaaban agrees with Mercieca saying the five competitors have always been a close and supportive group of friends.

“They’re all great friends, that’s the tough part,” Chaaban said. “All of them are our favorites – we want to vote for them all.”

Although the 12 finalists will all sing a final song during Sunday's performance to determine first, second and third place, voting for a People’s Choice winner is going on now and will also be announced after the competition.

Chaabon worked with the five singers during their years performing in high school plays such as Les Miserables, Rocky Horror and Footloose and says she is excited that each one of the "talented" Hartland singers was able to make it to the finals.

Showing up for try-outs earlier this month for the annual singing competition, Mercieca had no idea how many of her other friends were even going to be there and called it a “reunion” of sorts.

Mercieca herself says she didn’t tell anyone she was even going.

“She doesn’t say anything,” Chaaban said. “Walter (Johnston) tells the world.”

This year is the first time Mercieca, a sophomore at Michigan State, entered the competition. The theater major admits, however, that singing as just herself, without the protective barrier of a character, was something new and very hard for her to overcome.

“But I’m also a very narcissistic person and I like it when people pay attention to me,” she said laughing.

Several other members of the "Hartland Five," however, have all participated in the competition before. This will also be Longwell’s third year singing in the finals.

“She (Longwell) was third place her first year, second place her second year, so I think now she’s like, ‘I gotta get that first place,’” Mercienca joked.

Still, Mercienca insists that each of them will be happy if any of their friends end up winning.

The final competition will be held at 3 p.m. Aug. 19 at the Howell courthouse. Judges will announce the winners, including the People's Choice winner, that day.