VIDEO: Excite and Entertain Leeds 2017 talent winners wow crowds at White Rose Shopping Centre

Singing sensation Keri-Ellah Cromack and artist Yamin Malik are celebrating today after wowing huge crowds and judges to win our Grosvenor Casino backed Excite and Entertain Leeds talent competition.
Keri-Ellah Cromack hit the right notes to win the musical performance category of our Grosvenor Casino Leeds Westgate and Yorkshire Evening Post Excite and Entertain Leeds 2017 talent competitionKeri-Ellah Cromack hit the right notes to win the musical performance category of our Grosvenor Casino Leeds Westgate and Yorkshire Evening Post Excite and Entertain Leeds 2017 talent competition
Keri-Ellah Cromack hit the right notes to win the musical performance category of our Grosvenor Casino Leeds Westgate and Yorkshire Evening Post Excite and Entertain Leeds 2017 talent competition

The music and design category winners each get £2,500 prize money and a shot at the big time after a being crowned at the White Rose Shopping Centre.

The mall took centre stage to showcase the live final, featuring eight musical acts and work by four artists and photographers, which celebrates the £3m refurbishment of the Grosvenor Casino in Wellington Bridge Street.

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The event started to trend on social media using our hashtag #ExciteLeeds. The Yorkshire Evening Post's Facebook Live stream of the finale reached nearly 200,000 people and almost 10,000 people watched. You can now watch it back on demand - CLICK HERE.

Keri-Ellah, aged 21, of Bramley, won judges and readers votes to take the musical performance category with two songs her rendition of Hayden Panettiere's Telescope and Carrie Underwood's Before He Cheats.

She also gets to headline at Grosvenor Casino Leeds Westgate next Saturday - February 4 - to celebrate it's new £3m refurbishment.

Keri-Ellah, a nail technician by day, who also sings at weddings and corporate events, performed on The Voice last year. Her Excite Leeds prize also includes a contract that could see her singing career soar, with music and entertainment agency, Champions.

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"It was more nerve-racking in this final than competing on The Voice where Paloma Faith, Boy George, Ricky Wilson and Will-i-am had their backs to me. Everyone here was standing right in front of me, so close," she said.

Keri-Ellah Cromack hit the right notes to win the musical performance category of our Grosvenor Casino Leeds Westgate and Yorkshire Evening Post Excite and Entertain Leeds 2017 talent competitionKeri-Ellah Cromack hit the right notes to win the musical performance category of our Grosvenor Casino Leeds Westgate and Yorkshire Evening Post Excite and Entertain Leeds 2017 talent competition
Keri-Ellah Cromack hit the right notes to win the musical performance category of our Grosvenor Casino Leeds Westgate and Yorkshire Evening Post Excite and Entertain Leeds 2017 talent competition

"I shop here all the time. So to be here singing, for all those people, and to win a ridiculous amount of money - it's a bit strange, but amazing."

Artist Yamin's art work features playing cards bursting from a reveller's head and exploding into a Leeds city landscape. It will be turned into a billboard in the city.

"I only entered as a bit of fun and ended up winning. It's amazing, " said Yamin, 28, of Oakwood, a marketing worker and part time photographer.

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John Fordham, general manager of the casino in Wellington Bridge Street, was one of three judges with Champions Music and Entertainment Manager, Tania Lee and the Yorkshire Evening Post's Aisha Iqbal

And the winners of the Excite and Entertain Leeds 2017 talent competition are...Keri-Ellah Cromack and artist Yamin Malik, right, congratulated here by Grosvenor Casino Leeds Westgate General Manager John Fordham.And the winners of the Excite and Entertain Leeds 2017 talent competition are...Keri-Ellah Cromack and artist Yamin Malik, right, congratulated here by Grosvenor Casino Leeds Westgate General Manager John Fordham.
And the winners of the Excite and Entertain Leeds 2017 talent competition are...Keri-Ellah Cromack and artist Yamin Malik, right, congratulated here by Grosvenor Casino Leeds Westgate General Manager John Fordham.

He said: "Judging was very difficult. We had a really tough decision on our hands because the standard was so high. Really brilliant. But our winners were outstanding. We are confident we made the right choice.

"Yamin's art work, the use of playing cards, imagination, the excite and entertain motive we were looking for, but also to get the skyline of Leeds in the playing cards, was absolutely genius. A great piece of art work and I can't wait to see it on a billboard.

"Keri-Ellah is a fantastic performer, as we got to see in the final and people can now come see her at our new look casino on February 4.

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"Grosvenor is not just a casino, we are a live entertainment venue. We want people to come along in a social atmosphere. It's a night that is different, but the emphasis is always to excite and entertain in our place.

Meet our finalists - judges said the standards were high for the Excite and Leeds 2017 talent competition backed by Grosvenor Casino Leeds Westgate.Meet our finalists - judges said the standards were high for the Excite and Leeds 2017 talent competition backed by Grosvenor Casino Leeds Westgate.
Meet our finalists - judges said the standards were high for the Excite and Leeds 2017 talent competition backed by Grosvenor Casino Leeds Westgate.

"Following the £3m refurb we wanted to connect with the people of Leeds and put Grosvenor Casino on the map, not only for what we do but to put something back into the community. We got all that. It was fantastic."