It was another fun night down at the big tent as 14 hopefuls performed in front of a packed house alongside The Faculty house band for this year’s Quest for the Best.
Heather Newman’s cover of Billy Joel’s Vienna was what got her to the finals from the first half of the evening. Newman prevailed against second half winner Cynthia Vanuden in the battle song portion of the competition, which saw the two take a swing at Darryl Hall & John Oates’ classic, Private Eyes.
Coming off the stage to greet friends and family Newman said she was surprised to take the win and she really loves singing at the event because of The Faculty.
Heather Newman was crowned the winner of Quest for
the Best 2025 with her jazzy performance of Billy Joel’s Vienna.
Damien Hunt was the Runner Up for Set #1.
Adrian Indian won Runner Up for Set #2.
“I’m kind of in shock,” she said.
“I love Quest, I’ve love Quest and going to Quest since I was little and for me the most amazing thing about Quest for me is I get to play with the band because I have so much respect for all the members of the band, my dad’s the drummer. He’s brilliant and it’s really special for me to be able to perform with them.”
Newman says her version of Vienna was inspired by a cover by the band “Couch.”
“I love Billy Joel but I also love kind of jazzy, funky covers,” she said.
“I found a really cool cover of Vienna by Couch and I just felt it was really, really fun and it fit my voice style and I just wanted to try something a little different.”
In addition to the grand prize of $1,000, Newman also won the “Show Stopper” award as well as People’s Choice for the first set.
Runner up Vanuden won her way into the battle round with her version of Pat Benatar’s Treat Me Right.
“I wanted to pick something that was an audience pleaser, but also something that I really enjoyed,” she said of her song choice.
“I like that kind of rough 80s sound, so Pat Benatar was really the only choice, I had a couple of her songs in mind but that was the one I wanted.”
In addition to being the Runner Up, Vanuden also won the “Band’s Choice” award, which is chosen by The Faculty for the performer they most enjoyed working with. Since this was also Vanuden’s first year in the competition and she received the “Rookie Award” as well.
Vanuden said a handshake deal with drummer Jim Newman was one of the reasons she entered the contest.
“ [Jim Newman] was my grade six teacher and I shook his hand and told him that I would [enter] and you can’t go back on a handshake.” she said.
“The guys were so good, a couple of them I’ve had as teachers, so it makes it special, and they were so easy to work with, so supportive and I can’t thank them enough.”
Other awards handed out at Quest for the Best included Dave Allison winning the Dark Horse Award for his version of Morgan Wallen’s Seven Summers. People’s Choice Award for Set #2 went to Dave Miller who sang the Brooks & Dunn classic Boot Scootin’ Boogie. Runner Up in set #1 went to Damien Hunt who performed Welcome to Paradise by Green Day and Runner Up in Set #2 went to Adrian Indian for his cover of Call Me the Breeze by Lynard Skynard.
Newman can’t return to the competition next year due to the rules, which state that winners can’t compete in the next year’s competition. Winners are typically invited back to give a special performance during the intermission the following year. Last year’s winner Jaykob Ryll got the tent going with his rendition of Dire Straits’ Money For Nothing on Friday night.
Vanuden said she already has a song in mind to hopefully put her over the top next year.
