Culver City Teen Wows on Hub TV Show

It’s the stuff dreams are made of, and has been living the dream for the past eight months. A student at , DeFaria was one of 12 finalists in the first season of Majors & Minors, a voice and talent competition on The Hub television network.

The 14-year-old was chosen from a nationwide pool of more than 40,000 applicants, but he's no stranger to the stage. Cameron took up guitar at the age of six and performed at venues, including the House of Blues, with his band, Stereo Union.

He didn’t know he was chosen to be on the show until a film crew showed up at his house last year with a video invitation. 

“That was crazy,” Cameron told Patch. “I didn’t know I was going to make it.”

His parents, who are both musicians, stayed by his side throughout. It was Cameron’s mother, Chaille Percival DeFaria, who first brought the competition to his attention, but she credits him for taking the initiative.

“I presented the information to him, and he ran,” she said.

She watched him throughout the tapings of the show and saw him mentored by some of music’s biggest names, including Avril Lavigne, Jennifer Hudson, will.i.am, Leona Lewis, Brandy, Jordin Sparks, Sean Kingston, and OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder. 

“I was definitely awestruck when they walked into the room,” Cameron said. “I was so glad they helped us.”

However, Cameron seemed to get the biggest kick out of working with American Idol alumn Adam Lambert and even got a chance to accompany Lambert on the guitar during one of the tapings.

“That was pretty great,” Cameron said. “I was so excited because he fit closer to my genre than the rest. I learned a lot from him stage presence-wise.”

Cameron is also grateful for the relationships he formed with his 11 competitors. He said his cast mates became like family. They cheered each other on and even learned each others' songs. No one was actually booted off the show, so all of the kids (aged 10-16), had a chance to compete at the finale.

Cameron will perform one of his original songs when the finale is televised on Jan. 22 and Jan. 29. His mother is proud of his work on stage.

“He took a few chances I hadn’t seen him take,” she said. “He tends to do that when the pressure is on, and that really impresses me about him.”

No matter who is formally announced the winner at the end of this month, Cameron says he is grateful for what he learned from his mentors on the show.

“I just feel they have molded the kind of artist I want to be,” he said.  

To vote for Cameron as a fan favorite, visit www.hubworld.com/fanfavorite

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