Niagara youth brings Girl Pow-R to stage
For Niagara Falls pre-teen Milana Marie Mascia, it started with The Lion King. As soon as she stepped on stage in the role of Rafiki, she knew she was home.
Two years later, she and eight other Canadian girls aim to be Canada’s next big pop group. Or at least the youngest.
Making the rounds across Ontario, Girl Pow-R is a collective of singers and dancers aged 10 to 15, each representing a social cause. Milana, a Grade 7 student at St. Vincent de Paul elementary school in Niagara Falls, chose mental health awareness and support.
“I know a lot of people that are suffering through the disease,” she says. “It’s important because people think that it’s embarrassing to talk to someone and express their feelings. I want them to know they don’t have to be embarrassed. Once they talk to someone, it can change their lives.”
Healthy eating, youth homelessness and equality for girls are among the group’s other messages, shared via energetic, flashy concerts at malls, charity events and festivals.
For Milana — and her parents Lina and Pat — it has meant a heavy workload ever since she passed the first hurdle back in February, via an online audition singing Girls Just Want to Have Fun. She was hired in March, and the rehearsals have been intense ever since for what’s expected to be a full court Girl Pow-R press in 2018 with the release of the antibullying single Krisi.
“It’s really busy,” she says. “In the summer, we went to Toronto five to six times a week.”
Add to that a four-hour rehearsal every Sunday, and Milana is getting an idea of the demands of showbiz already. Last week was a steady back-and-forth to Toronto for tapings at YTV.
“Usually, some of the shows are after (school) or in the morning,” she says. “My dad takes me because my mom has to teach.
“But if I miss (school), my teacher sends me things.”
“Yeah, it gets a little bit tense,” says Pat, who says the whole family, including Milana’s sisters Giuliana, 15, and Ivana, 9, are fully on board. Her mom is also a teacher at St. Vincent de Paul.
“We always tell her, if you’ve had enough, just tell us,” says Lina.
That may not be for awhile. Already an award-winning dancer, pianist and violin player, Milana’s committed to a future in music.
“My dream is to become big, meet more fans, see everyone,” she says.