Allie Torto helping singers share their talents with virtual competition
Allie Torto just wrapped up the 3rd Annual Virtual Voices competition.
Virtual Voices is an online singing competition where local singers have the chance to duet with Torto. The winner is chosen by the public through likes and shares on Facebook.
This year, 40 people entered the competition.
Torto, a lifelong musician, is incredibly well known around the local area. She says she started the competition as a way to give people a platform to sing, share their story, and make connections with the community.
'There is definitely an inner part of me that kind of looks back at younger Allie and want to heal parts of that, the parts of me that were afraid to sing and do things and move forward and listen to my thoughts and my heart, listen to my heart and move forward with music. When I see other people having the opportunity to do that through me, it helps me,' said Torto.
The winner of this year's Virtual Voices competition was Binghamton native Jaime Pittsley. She sang the song Stone Cold by Demi Lovato.
Pittsley had the opportunity to join Torto at On Point Productions in Binghamton to professionally record the song as well as a behind the scenes music video.
Pittsley says since the competition, more people have been checking out her music. She says the competition is a good way for people to gain confidence.
'Anybody can do it. It doesn't matter how long you've been singing, it doesn't matter at all. You can just do it and get your voice heard. I think that's important,' said Pittsley.
Torto says Pittsley has a really deep soul that many people can connect with.
You can watch their duet of Stone Cold on YouTube.
Torto is also hosting a live Virtual Voices concert featuring all of the contestants on May 17 at New Leaf Cider in Port Crane.
To connect with Torto, visit her website allietorto.com or search @AllieTortoMusic on social media.
Pittsley's Instagram is @JaimeMayeMusic.
Allie Torto helping singers share their talents with virtual competition
Amici Pub and Pizzeria closes after 14 years in business
DOCCS: Correction officer strike ends, over 2K fired
Business of the Week: American Red Cross
New York Working Families Party supporting Miles Burnett for Binghamton Mayor
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
‘Lilo & Stitch' actor David H.K. Bell's autopsy reveals sad life-saving attempts, complicated health history
David Hekili Kenui Bell's autopsy report has revealed surprising new details about the 'Lilo & Stitch' star's death. The report, which was issued by the Hawaii Police Department and obtained by People on Tuesday, found that Bell suffered several serious health issues before his tragic passing on June 12 at the age of 46. Four 'pathological diagnoses' were listed among the report's findings, according to the outlet, including acute respiratory failure, sepsis, hypertensive/atherosclerotic heart disease and morbid obesity. 6 David Hekili Kenui Bell in the live-action 'Lilo & Stitch' movie, which premiered just days before his death on June 12. Disney 6 Bell's autopsy report was released on Tuesday, two months after the actor's passing on June 12. Facebook Bell's autopsy, which was carried out at Kona Community Hospital in Kealakekua on June 19 and completed on July 10, also found that the 'Hawaii Five-0' actor suffered from stasis dermatitis (a skin condition caused by poor blood circulation in the legs) and edema (build-up of fluid in the body's tissue and most common in the legs or arms). The report further revealed that Bell 'complained of difficulty breathing' shortly before his death, and a toxicology screen determined that there were no drugs or alcohol in the actor's system above reporting limits. Although no cause or manner of death was listed, the autopsy report indicated that medical personnel attempted to resuscitate Bell. 6 Bell's autopsy report revealed that he 'complained of difficulty breathing' shortly before his death. Facebook Besides defibrillator pads on Bell's chest, the exam discovered an airway in his mouth, a blood pressure cuff on his right arm, an IV line in his left arm and an intraosseous needle, used to 'deliver fluids, medications or obtain laboratory samples,' in his left leg. An officer at the Hawaii Police Department, meanwhile, informed People that an investigation into Bell's death has been completed. The department previously confirmed that a probe had been launched to determine how the 'Magnum P.I.' actor died. 6 No cause or manner of death was listed with Bell's autopsy report. Facebook 'We have launched a coroner's inquest investigation (as is standard practice) and an autopsy is being scheduled to determine the exact cause of death,' a police spokesperson told the outlet on June 16. 'The investigation is ongoing at this time,' they added. 'No foul play is suspected.' Jalene Kanani Bell, the 'Lilo & Stitch' star's sister, was the first to announce her beloved brother's passing away in an emotional Facebook post on June 15. 6 Jalene Kanani Bell, Bell's sister, was the first to announce the actor's passing away in an emotional post on June 15. Facebook 'It is with a heavy heart I share that my sweet, generous, talented, funny, brilliant and handsome little brother David H. K. Bell will spend today in the company of our Heavenly Father,' she wrote. Bell's shocking passing came just weeks after he made his big-screen debut in Disney's live-action 'Lilo & Stitch' remake on May 23, and the media giant later paid tribute to the actor in an Instagram post on June 17. 'We are deeply saddened by the sudden loss of David Hekili Kenui Bell,' the studio wrote alongside a picture of Bell from the movie. 'Kind, caring, and a friend to all on set; he will forever be a member of the Disney and Lilo & Stitch family.' Lashauna Downie, Bell's former rep, also paid tribute to the late actor following the sad news of his death. 6 An investigation into Bell's death has also been completed. Facebook 'David brought light, kindness, and a beautiful spirit to all who had the privilege of knowing him. He will be profoundly missed by everyone whose lives he touched,' Downie shared in a statement to The Post. 'We extend our deepest sympathies to his ʻohana during this incredibly difficult time and are honoring their privacy as they grieve,' she added at the time.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Car Crashes Into Food Influencers Through Restaurant Window While They Were Filming
Two vloggers are recovering after a car crashed into the restaurant where they were filming a food review. Patrick Blackwood and Nina Santiago were about 10 minutes into their review of CuVee's Culinary Creations in Houston on Aug. 16, when they caught the terrifying moment on video. The two posted the full incident on their YouTube channel two days later, showing them biting into their food as a car crashes into the window near their booth. Patrick appears to be sitting closest to the window and was covered with shattered glass as Nina is seen falling out of her seat. After looking around, Patrick then helps Nina get up from the floor as they walk away. According to the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the female driver claimed she thought she put her black SUV in park outside of the restaurant and after releasing her foot off the brake, the vehicle rolled into the building. The sheriff's office says the two people inside the booth were injured and taken to a local hospital. Nina and Patrick documented their journey in the ambulance and at the hospital on video, showing some of the scratches on their faces, chins and arms. They were also visibly shaken when recounting the crash on camera. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
YouTube Launches ‘Effects Maker' for Shorts, New Comment COntrols
This story was originally published on Social Media Today. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Social Media Today newsletter. YouTube is rolling out a new 'Effect Maker' option, that'll enable creators to build their own effects for Shorts clips, while it's also adding some additional comment controls, and improved tagging for brand collaborations. First off, YouTube is giving more creators access to its new 'Effects Maker' option, which enables creators to create, publish, and manage effects for YouTube Shorts. So kind of similar to Snapchat's Lens Sudio, Effects Maker will give creators the tools to create engaging effects for use in Shorts clips, which could help to spark more engagement and interest. YouTube has been experimenting with Effects Maker for the past year, adding in more options to facilitate expanded creative expression with these experiences. And now, more creators will get access, with all users that are able to access YouTube's advanced features now able to also try out the tool. As per YouTube: '[Effects Maker] is only available on desktop for now, and we don't have specifics on expansion to mobile, but we'll keep you posted. When you publish an effect, it will be available to all users that are eligible to create shorts.' Creators will also be able to showcase their effects on their Channel, while YouTube is also testing new generative AI elements to further enhance your creative options. So a lot more creative effects could be coming to YouTube Shorts, providing even more considerations for your content, and for boosting awareness of your channel. On another front, YouTube's also adding in more comment control options, including bulk comment controls in YouTube Studio. 'Up until now, creators could only select a limited number of comments to action on at one time. Now, we're adding the ability for creators to select all comments and take action, like 'remove' or 'report.'' That'll help to streamline your channel management, while YouTube's also adding an option to limit comments to subscribers only. The combination of comment management options could help to keep your channel comments civil, while also giving your subscribers more focus. YouTube says that the capacity to adjust who can comment is only available at the individual video level at this stage, but it is working on expanding this in future. Finally, YouTube's also launching a new element within its BrandConnect creator collaboration toolset which will give creators the option to tag brand partners during video upload, or when editing their existing clips. As you can see in these examples, you'll now be able to manage brand collaboration listings in the composer flow, which YouTube says will give creators more control over which content advertisers can use, as opposed to sharing an entire channel. 'This also enables advertisers to promote a creator's sponsored content to a wider audience via Partnership Ads, which increase the visibility of the collaboration and can drive additional traffic to a creator's channel through a 'Subscribe' button, which will be included in the ad. Creators with branded mentions will have increased visibility in the advertisers' Creator Partnerships Hub, and may be suggested to new brands for additional campaigns.' Advertisers will also get access to video performance data for the tagged clips, enabling greater oversight within collaborations. The option will be available globally on the YouTube main app or YouTube Studio for creators in the YouTube partner program. 'Eligible creators can find this feature in the paid promotion and brand section under video details.' Some handy updates, with the addition of custom creative options for Shorts potentially providing another valuable option to boost engagement. You can learn more about YouTube's latest updates here. Recommended Reading YouTube Offers Expanded Monetization Avenues for Educational Content
