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LEHI — Last March, two local YouTubers created a unique "Frozen" mashup together that garnered millions of views.
Since then, Jason Lyle Black and Sara Arkell have performed together locally and internationally, and their video may help 12-year-old Sara win the Next Big YouTuber contest at Utah's YouTube convention, CVX Live, according to Sara's dad, Ben Arkell.
Many locals who have a large presence on YouTube are attending CVX Live to perform, meet one another, and interact with their viewers. YouTubers who are trying to gain a larger following were invited to submit a video from their channel in the Next Big YouTuber contest.
The contest called for those who have less than 10,000 subscribers on YouTube to submit a video. One-hundred videos that were considered worthy of voting for were then chosen for the contest. At the convention, the top five finalists will be presented on stage and one winner will be selected.
Sara, who fit the bill, submitted her video with Black to the contest and is now looking at sixth place. She said about 1,000 YouTube users submitted videos.
"To be in sixth out of a thousand is, like, really cool. And if we hadn't shouted out to everybody every day, I don't think I'd be … where I am at the moment," Sara said.
Ultimately, 50 percent of the videos' votes come from fans, while the other 50 percent is determined by judges. Ben Arkell explained that there are four video bloggers in the current top five, but if the judges decide they don't want that many bloggers, Sara could be bumped up.
The Next Big YouTuber winner will be awarded promotions, collaborations and prizes, including a camera starter kit and an eight-day cruise, according to CVX Live.
Sara said she really hopes to be able to do collaborations with big YouTubers and to win the free camera.
To be in sixth out of a thousand is, like, really cool, and if we hadn't shouted out to everybody every day, I don't think I'd be … where I am at the moment.
–Sara Arkell
"Just the opportunities that could come out of it, it'd be, like, life changing," Sara said of the contest.
The name of her YouTube channel, The Piano Gal, was inspired by the Utah-based group The Piano Guys, which she loves. She said her biggest dream is to do a collaboration with The Piano Guys, and she'd also love to work with Peter Hollens and other big local YouTubers.
In the next couple of weeks, Sara will be releasing videos with YouTuber Madilyn Paige, who was on "The Voice" last year. Paige is currently in fifth place in the Next Big YouTuber contest.
CVX Live takes place Aug. 7 and 8 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University. Voting for the contest ends Aug. 5 at 11:59 p.m.
To vote for Sara, visit the CVX Live Facebook page, find her video, and click "vote." Each Facebook user can vote once per day.
Ben Arkell said it's been amazing to see how many doors have opened since Sara and Black made their "Frozen" mashup.
Some of those things include performing at the Utah Women's Show, performing on Japanese television program Fuji TV in Tokyo and being a finalist in the upcoming Utah Music Awards for the Audience Award.
"I think it's kind of cool that I've experienced all these things already, and I'm only 12, almost 13, I guess, but … just cool that I could do it at such a young age," Sara said.
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