At just eight years old, Anya Hu is already building an impressive musical journey.

The second-grade vocalist recently returned to the Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival Budding Talent Vocal Competition and successfully defended her title, earning first place in the Seedlings category for the second consecutive year.

Anya began singing when she was just four-and-a-half years old and has been sharing her love of music ever since.

For this year’s competition, she chose to perform “A Million Dreams,” a song she says speaks to her both emotionally and vocally.

“I love the lyrics because they are full of emotion,” Anya said. “The vocal range of ‘A Million Dreams’ suits me well.”

While singing is one of her greatest passions, it’s far from her only interest. Outside of music, Anya enjoys drawing, playing soccer, and has spent the past two years learning piano, giving her an even deeper appreciation for music.

Returning to Wildflower for a second year brought a familiar sense of confidence.

“This is my second year participating,” she shared. “I won the Seedlings category last year as well.”

When asked how the competition unfolded, Anya’s answer reflected the calm confidence she brought to the stage.

“Everything went smoothly,” she said.

Although she’s already an accomplished young performer, Anya still has big dreams for the future.

“I want to be an artist when I grow up.”

That creative spirit was evident throughout her performance and continues to inspire other young performers considering taking the stage themselves.

For children thinking about auditioning for the 2027 Budding Talent Vocal Competition, Anya offers simple but encouraging advice.

“Don’t be afraid of the stage at the Eisemann Center,” she said. “Once you’re up there, you’ll mainly see the judges, and it really isn’t much different from the audition room.”

Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival is proud to celebrate young performers like Anya, whose talent, confidence, and love of music continue to inspire audiences and fellow competitors alike.

Congratulations to Anya Hu, the 2026 Budding Talent Vocal Competition Seedlings category Champion!

Beyond singing, she embraces a wide variety of interests and challenges. She enjoys running, writing, public speaking, and musical theater, where she has appeared in numerous productions with North Texas Performing Arts. This summer, she will take on one of her dream roles when she performs as Matilda.

Her accomplishments extend beyond the stage as well. Earlier this year, Ivy was selected as a TEDx Youth speaker, an opportunity that allowed her to share her ideas and experiences with a wider audience.

Music remains at the center of many of her passions. Ivy plays piano, ukulele, and guzheng, a traditional Chinese string instrument. Recently, she added an electric guitar to her growing collection and is eager to begin learning it.

Amelia Langley, Fiona Libby, Haven Proffitt, Ivy Liu and Anya Hu

“I enjoy composing my own music,” she said. “I hope to write and perform my own songs one day.”

Her ambitions don’t stop there.

“I have lots of dreams,” Ivy shared. “I hope to perform on Broadway someday, write my own songs, publish my second book, run a 10K, and of course come back to Wildflower next year.”

That combination of confidence, curiosity, and determination has become a guiding philosophy.

“Every time I reach one goal, I seem to find another one waiting for me,” she said. “I believe some of the best things happen when we step outside our comfort zone and dare to try something new.”

When asked what advice she would give to young vocalists considering the Budding Talent Vocal Competition in 2027, Ivy’s answer reflected the same encouraging spirit that has fueled her own journey.

“Wildflower is so much fun,” she said. “Take every opportunity you can. You never know where your talents might lead you. And if you had the courage to show up, you’ve already won.”

Congratulations to Ivy Liu, the 2026 Wildflower! Budding Talent Vocal Competition winner, and thank you for sharing your talent, determination, and joy for music with the Wildflower! community.

Follow Ivy Liu on Instagram and YouTube.

The Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival call for local contestant auditions for the “Budding Talent Youth Vocal Competition” is now open. Live auditions will be held on Sunday, April 24 at the Richardson Senior Center and are open to area youth in pre-kindergarten through 12^th grade. Those selected as finalists in each category will compete as part of the Festival at 1 p.m. on May 22 at the Eisemann Center.

Age Categories

• Seedlings: Pre-K through Kindergarten
• Sprouts: Grades 1-3
• Buds: Grades 4-6
• Wildflowers!: Grades 7-9
• Wildflowers!: Grades 10-12

How To Apply

Young singers interested in participating in the competition must complete the following steps no later than April 18 to receive an invitation to the live auditions:

• Complete the online application form.
• Include a video link to a song performance of their choice, not to exceed one minute in length. Video links from social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, etc., are acceptable, and video submissions are not a pre-screening tool. 

• Include a current photo. Photos will be used for contestants selected to participate in the finals program.  

  Following the live auditions, judges will announce the selected contestants who will advance as finalists.  

Contest Rules

• Must be at least 4 years of age to apply.
• Musical accompaniment of an audio track on a mobile device, acoustic guitar, keyboard, or accompanist is allowed at the audition.
• Song selection must be three minutes or less and performed from memory in front of the judges and same age-group peers.
• No vulgar language or profanity is allowed.
• Small vocal ensembles of two to four singers are eligible, but bands may not apply.
• Parents are not allowed into the live audition room with contestants (unless they are the accompanist).

Finalists in each age category will perform on the Songwriter Stage in the Eisemann Center during the Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival on Sunday, May 22 at 1 p.m. Winners in each category will receive prize packages at the end of the final competition.

Festival Hours and Location Information

The annual, three-day event will be held at Galatyn Urban Park, located just north of Galatyn Parkway on the east side of U.S. 75 (Central Expressway) in Richardson.

• Hours for the 2022 festival are:
  • Friday, 6 p.m. – midnight,
  • Saturday, 11 a.m. – midnight, and
  • Sunday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Additional details about the “Budding Talent Youth Vocal Competition” may be found at https://wildflowerfestival.com/budding-talent-vocal-competition/. For festival information and to purchase tickets, visit www.wildflowerfestival.com.