Music: {allcanada} 'Peg Gaga girl headed to 'GMA'

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

{allcanada} 'Peg Gaga girl headed to 'GMA'

WINNIPEG -- YouTube phenom Maria Aragon continues her ascent to stardom with an appearance on Good Morning America in New York City Thursday.

It's been exactly one week since the 10-year-old singer's cover of Born This Way caught the attention of Lady Gaga. Her video has reached viral status with -- at last check -- an astounding 12.4 million views.

Chris Burke-Gaffney, of CBG Artist Management in Winnipeg, managed another young Winnipeg singer/songwriter -- Chantal Kreviazuk -- when she first broke into the music scene.

His advice for the Aragon family is to get some good guidance right off the bat.

"Based on what's happened, there will probably be a lot of people approaching her, so I think her parents really need to find somebody that can advise them that they trust," he said.

Burke-Gaffney said this overnight fame could be a way for Aragon to start a career in the entertainment business, but it's not a guarantee.

"Depending on how they play this and depending on how talented she is, it could be something that people forget about in three weeks or six months," he said. "Or it could be something that really propels her ... and get a career out of it, if that's what her and her parents want."

The Internet has really changed the way people are discovered, Burke-Gaffney said.

"Things are a lot different now than they were when Chantal broke into the scene," he said.

Sometimes it's the luck of the draw and all it takes is one superstar to notice an aspiring artist's YouTube video.

"It's hard to predict. There are so many people who do exactly the same thing and who may be just as talented, and you never hear about them," he said.