The poetry in Poesy
FOR SARAH BOTELHO, poetry and music go hand-in-hand, which is why she chose “Poesy” as her stage name.
“Poesy is actually a really old word for poetry,” explains Bothelo, 23, who will appear Jan. 24 as one of five contestants on CTV’s new musical talent search “The Launch.”
“One night I locked myself in my room and told myself I couldn’t go to sleep until I came up with a name and that was one that really represented what I do because lyrics are big part of my music. So, Poesy just made sense.”
A graduate of Bishop Tonnos Secondary School, Botelho grew up in Ancaster but now lives in London, Ont., where she recently completed a B.A. in English and creative writing. She has been writing songs since she was nine and studied classical piano up to the age of 15.
Botelho’s influences are varied, but she’s a fan of classic rock and has been known to sing covers of Radiohead’s “Creep” and “Zombie” by The Cranberries.
She has released one EP called “The Spotless Mind,” available on her website poesyofficial.com and is determined to make music her full time career. Botelho and her band recently performed a concert at The Mule Spinner, a live venue at the Cotton Factory on Sherman Avenue North in Hamilton.
Botelho hopes to play more shows in the new year thanks to the exposure she gets from “The Launch.”
“It was such an unbelievable experience to be involved in something like this because we all got to meet so many people and have so many experiences that I would never have had without being involved in this show,” says Botelho, whose celebrity mentors were Fergie, Stephan Moccio and Scott Borchetta.
“I had this perception that TV was a dark and scary world, but everyone has been super supportive and wants everyone to succeed. It was a great environment to be mentored in.”
Bothelo plans on watching her episode Jan. 24 at home with friends and family, including her mother, a real estate agent and her father, who works for the RCMP in Niagara.
“My parents have always been weirdly supportive of my music,” she says. “They’d drive me to shows, help carry my keyboard. They’re the biggest fans ever.”
“It was a great environment to be mentored in.” SARAH BOTELHO SINGER-SONGWRITER