Posted By Kymelya Sari on Thu, Dec 27, 2018 at 6:00 AM

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Kymelya Sari

Kahambwe Prince Felekeni

Local rapper Kahambwe Prince Felekeni, 22, said he first heard Tupac Shakur's music when he was in a refugee camp in Tanzania. The American hip-hop artist died in the same year that he was born.

“That’s how powerful music is,” said Felekeni, who also goes by the moniker K Prince. “You can be gone, but your voice is still heard.”

Earlier this month, Felekeni released a music video for "Young King." The song’s main message, he said, is this: “If you want something, you can’t just wait for someone to bring it to you.” Winooski-based Que Beats produced the music video, which was filmed at Battery Park and the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington.

Tags: Kahambwe Prince Felekeni , K Prince , hip-hop , Creamy Goodness Productions and Studio , David Cooper , Yellow Mellow , A2VT , Image , Video , Web Only

Posted By Jordan Adams on Fri, Dec 21, 2018 at 12:06 PM

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Danil Korshunov | Dreamstime.com

The holiday season is at hand, and there's no doubt you're looking forward to everything that comes with it: family gatherings, office parties and, of course, figuring out how you'll spend New Year's Eve.

But let's be real. It's been a tough 12 months, and all you really want to do on your end-of-year vacay is throw on your Snuggie and plop down on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn. You've been putting off checking out a bunch of new streaming series until your holiday break, and you can practically hear "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" calling out your name.

In the spirit of keeping things local, consider bumping the second season of "Making a Murderer" down the queue to make room for some locally sourced programming. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

Tags: Kat Wright , Bardo , Ryan Miller , Higher Ground , Vermont PBS , Mister Chris and Friends , TRASHburgh , Madaila , Caroline Rose , Image , Video , Web Only

Posted By Kymelya Sari on Thu, Dec 20, 2018 at 6:00 AM

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Courtesy of Aaron's Photography

Shrishty Chhetri wins the Voice of Glory

According to Pahalman Darji, his family members are music lovers and enjoy watching reality singing shows. So when his teen daughter, Shrishty Chhetri, asked if she could take part in a singing competition, he and his wife gave her their full support.

Last month Chhetri, 16, was crowned the inaugural winner of the Voice of Glory, a Christian singing competition for Bhutanese-Nepali residents in the New England area. “I was in shock,” said the Burlington High School junior. “I never thought I would win.”

Tags: Shrishty Chhetri , Voice of Glory , Bhutanese , Nepali , Grace United Church , vocal competitions , Image , Web Only

Posted By Dan Bolles on Tue, Dec 18, 2018 at 9:42 PM

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Courtesy of Green Candle Theatre Co.

Josh Bridgman

If you've lived in Burlington at any point over the last 30 years or so, you likely knew Josh Bridgman, even if you never actually met him. He could often be found haunting the margins at one of his usual spots — Uncommon Grounds, Radio Bean or the Other Place.

Or you might have encountered him taking tickets at the downtown parking garage, where he worked for years. Perpetually rumpled and typically clad in his distinctive glasses and trench coat — and known for his equally distinctive and loud laugh — Bridgman was a Queen City fixture. 

"He was a guy that a lot of people knew just because he was out and about and had a peculiar look about him," said filmmaker Bill Simmon, former director of media services at VCAM. "So, whether you knew him or not, you knew of him if you lived in town."

Bridgman, 51, died unexpectedly earlier this week. As of this writing, the cause and time of death is unknown, pending an autopsy. Neither foul play nor suicide is suspected.

Tags: Josh Bridgman , Alex Dostie , Lee Anderson , Green Candle Theatre Company , Image , Video , Web Only

Posted By Dan Bolles on Fri, Dec 14, 2018 at 4:04 PM

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Courtesy of Charlotte Potter

Charlotte Potter

On January 2, 2019, Charlotte Potter will take over as executive director at Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Waitsfield. It's a homecoming for the Mad River Valley native, who for the past six years worked as the glass studio manager and program director at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Va. She succeeds former Yestermorrow ED Claire Gear, who is now the executive director of the Shelburne Craft School.

Tags: Yestermorrow Design/Build School , Charlotte Potter , craft , design , Image , Web Only