By Alicia Roache, Entertainment Co-ordinator

Lenya Wilks - winston sill

Some persons walk a linear path to success. Others, however, suffer many setbacks, are beset by obstacles and are forced to take many detours before they get there.

For Lenya Wilks, the walk to stardom has taken an unexpected turn.

The 17-year-old, who was a favourite to win the Rising Stars competition, was left in tears on Friday when it was announced that she would be denied her dream. Despite her popularity and obvious talent, she received the least votes and had to go home and watch other contestants live her dreams.

"I watched the competition last night (Sunday) and I was impressed by the performances. They went all out," she said of her former rivals on the show, Jodian, Inga and Romain.

Lenya, who has entered other competitions said the result of Friday's show, though shocking at first, was something she should have been used to. Her school's choir, of which she was a part, placed second in the National Children's Gospel Competition, last year.

It was through this exposure at Charlemont High School that Lenya was prepared for Rising Stars vocally and otherwise. She said her school choir "used to dominate music festivals ... We won numerous gold medals."

"This is not the first I am entering a competition. I expect everything, anything," she said of her experience on Rising Stars.

Not everyone shared her outlook though. THE STAR received many calls from persons complaining about what they thought was an obvious mistake in her being voted off.

One woman said that it is just another example that, "Jamaicans don't know how to vote."

One misguided man at the show on Friday demanded a 'magisterial recount'.

Another man said that it was symptomatic of a greater problem with the music industry in which it is often not the most talented who make it, but the one with the most money to spend.

But if reports are anything to go by, Lenya also got at least $80,000 worth of votes last week. These votes reportedly came from her mother.

Good support

Host Denise Hunt consoles teary Digicel Rising Stars contestant Lenya Wilks after she was eliminated on Friday night. - Colin Hamilon

While Lenya could not confirm just how much money was spent by her family, which includes her father and an older brother and sister, she admits that they regularly have 'fund-raising activities' to raise money to vote for her.

"On Wednesdays we would usually keep a fund-raising event and I get good support from people from my community," Lenya, who lives in Ewarton, St Catherine, said.

She said her mother, Maureen Wilks, took her loss on Friday "real hard", but that she, and the rest of her family, have since accepted the decision and have also moved on.

"I know Digicel won't do anything," Lenya said in response to the idea she was robbed.

"I trust Digicel. I entered the competition based on trust," Lenya said. "The competition has given me exposure. I thank the competition for that. I'm not angry at the competition one bit," she told The STAR.

"People are saying that it's not fair because I'm the best singer in the competition. All I have to say to my fans, to the Jamaican people is that it's a competition and it's not the end of Lenya. You don't have to win to be a winner."

Lenya leaves behind friends on Rising Stars, one of whom Jamaica obviously chose over her on Friday.

She and Jodian Pantry, 18, were very close on their recent trip to Curaçao, always together and at one point even dressing alike. But perhaps her biggest support was Romain, with whom she obviously shared special feelings. They hugged and encouraged each between performances in Curaçao. Romain, also 17, cried when she was voted off on Friday.

"My closest support on the competition was Romain," she said. Despite this, she will name none of her former competitors as favourite to win.

"Favourites, no I don't (have any). Everyone of them are my friends and I wish them all the best," she said.

Lenya's plans from now on will include school as well as music.

"I'm going to continue school. I'm not sure where as yet but I want to do 'mass comm'," she told the STAR yesterday. "I'm not going to stop my music. I'm waiting on calls."

The calls, she hopes will come from people within the music business. At the moment, the fourth place, in which Friday's elimination placed her means that she is not bound by any contracts with Rising Stars.

As such, she said, "I want to work with everybody. I definitely want to do something with Chris Martin, Beres (Hammond). I'd love to do something with Alaine and Tessanne (Chin).

She will next perform at the National Arena on Wednesday before the netball match featuring Jamaica and England and said she was "looking forward to the Mas Camp show", which will cap off the Rising Stars season and announce the winner on Friday, September 28.

Overcome with grief, Romain cries after Lenya was booted. - Colin Hamilton