Tecumseh country singer Carson Janik named finalist in national talent search

Carson Janik in Tecumseh, Ont., on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Melanie Kentner/CTV News Windsor)

A rising country music star from Tecumseh is one step closer to a national breakthrough.

Carson Janik has been named one of three finalists in Country Rising presented by Cottage Springs 2026, a nationwide talent search.

“It’s life changing,” said Janik. “It’s something that’s huge and honestly, I’m super grateful for the opportunity to be involved with such a great group of talented people as well as the finalists.”

Janik now advances to the fan voting round alongside finalists Paige Penney from Newfoundland and Emma Kade from British Columbia.

Janik, 21, is known for his blend of heartfelt storytelling and modern country-pop sound. He’s already been performing for several years and says it’s taken a lot of hard work to get this far.

“A lot of dedication and sacrifice. I mean, I’m so grateful to do what I love every single day,” says Janik. “So that makes it really, really easy for me to enjoy my work and just go out there, play music and do what I love in front people.”

Janik says he has a busy year planned, including a summer tour.

“I actually just released another debut single, Summertime, which was on the 29th of May and it just passed 500,000 streams,” he says. “We named the tour after it and we’re going to be heading to the States. We’re heading to New Brunswick and doing dates in Ontario. So we’re going to be touring a lot this year.”

The winner will receive a $10,000 grand prize and a recording contract with Starseed Entertainment.

Fans can vote once per day through July 20. The winner will be announced later this summer.