When 14-year-old Maya Gamzu stepped onto the Canada’s Got Talent stage, she brought with her a story of starting over. Originally from Israel, Maya moved to Canada with her family in 2018. Singing songs in English became one of the ways she learned the language and adjusted to her new home.
For her audition, Maya chose “Something’s Got a Hold on Me,” famously performed by Christina Aguilera. The moment she began singing, her enormous voice and confident stage presence caught everyone’s attention. The audience was soon on its feet, while Kardinal Offishall was clearly enjoying the performance.
The judges agreed that Maya had a phenomenal voice, although Lilly Singh questioned whether the song was the perfect choice to showcase everything the teenager could do. Kardinal saw something even bigger in her, saying that with the right song choice, Maya could potentially win the entire competition.
Then came the moment Maya never expected: Kardinal slammed the Golden Buzzer. Gold confetti filled the stage as an overwhelmed Maya realized she was heading straight to the semifinals.
What started as an audition by a talented 14-year-old became a life-changing moment—and proof that sometimes one performance is all it takes to turn a young singer’s dream into reality.
