Battiest Wins Big at iPOP! Showcase

By Felix DoBosz

NEW YORK, NY — On July 20, hundreds of young, good looking, talented kids from around the globe gathered at the Marriott Marquis with family and friends to exhibit their show biz skills and impress scores of talent agents in the audience.

The awards night celebration called iPOP!–International Presentation of Performers–featured several events in one big five hour show; an award ceremony for these savvy young people, a fashion show, short acting skits, and a group singing medley with a few solos.

This was their night to shine like bright new shiny stars on Broadway they all hope to become in their quest to be the best.

Hollywood’s Spencer Battiest, Panther Clan, was one of 15 chosen from over a thousand kids to participate in the grand finale showcase production. He won the award for Best Top Male Teen Overall award at iPop!.

Spencer, who will turn fifteen on Sept. 17, sang in front of thousands in the audience in the famous Times Square hotel’s grand ballroom. Not bad for a kid that started singing as a baby and never stopped pleasing his growing fans.

The iPOP! process started four days earlier when the competitors arrived at the Marriott for training sessions with experienced professionals in the modeling and entertainment industry. The youngsters were put into different groups, and training rooms to audition and rehearse for the big night award celebration.

During these training sessions, they received valuable advice and tips from prominent directors of various TV production companies and top talent scouts. Some of these youngsters and their parents had to pay as much as $8,000 for the privilege of participating in this year’s iPOP! program.

“I have a singing solo in the show,” Spencer Battiest gushed excitedly. Battiest struggled to contain his exhilaration as he prepared to perform in the grand showcase.

Spencer continued, “…and for the past four days, I was up at six o’clock in the morning, with eight hours of acting class a day, followed by four hours of vocal lessons a day; it’s a little more intense. Wherever I go I always remember that I represent my Tribe, being that I’m a Seminole Tribal member, …like on the first day I was here, cameras were rolling, I wore my Seminole made jacket. Everywhere I went, people would stop me and say things like, ‘what is that, it’s so beautiful,’ ‘what is it?’ So I would tell them, and advertise my tribe.

“I also want to take a moment to thank the Seminole Tribe and Chairman Mitchell Cypress for their sponsorship. One of my goals is to one day win an Oscar as a Native American. I consider myself to be a positive role model for other kids, you know I’ve never touched a cigarette in my life or anything like alcohol or drugs, I try to keep my way positive, and through Jesus I do keep myself positive. Everybody knows me around the reservation, I try to be a good example, I always let everyone know, we are not perfect people, and I see kids around my age, fourteen, that have already been thru rehab. I try to tell [young people] that there’s a better way to go than alcohol or drugs.

“My family is a great role model for any family on the reservation, most families are divorced or split up, but I’ve been lucky to be so blessed, my family is so together.”

Henry “Junior” Battiest and his wife June Battiest said they are very proud of their son’s accomplishment of winning the “Best Top Male Teen Vocal Overall Award” at the iPOP! event this year. Spencer said it was really cool to win that award and exciting being selected from the thousands that competed in this big event, that’s quite a success story.

Junior and June Battiest enjoy sharing a big loving family, not only do they have Spencer, but married daughter Ashley Crosby, 21, brother Zachary, 16, and daughters, Taylor, 10, Turquoise, 8, Coral, 7, and little Petra, only 10 months old.

Junior Battiest and the whole family are so grateful to the Tribe and especially the Tribal Council members for their kind support and cooperation in helping them pursue Spencer’s dream of stardom. They would also like to thank for their generous sponsorships, Judy-Bill Osceola, KiKi Belmonte Shaler, Native Voice, Roberta Gopher, Judy Baker, Structure and Style Limo, and of course the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Since the awards celebration, Spencer’s father Junior said they have received many calls from interested big talent agents from southern California. They said they want Spencer and his family to relocate there, to be close for additional auditions.