Hackney Empire hosted its annual youth talent show, Alter Ego, on February 21. Here, Ezelina Owens, 19, reviews for Gazette readers a spectacular night of entertainment.

With Snoochie Shy (BBC 1xtra, MTV) and Poet (MTV, Gasworks Podcast) as the legendary hosts of this year, Alter Ego was a night to remember. All the contestants were great, and each had their own individuality which made them all stand out in different ways.

Nike sponsored the show which enabled all the finalists to receive hair and makeup, a manicure and brand new outfits.

Rapper Chino

Rapper Chino, 16, started the show off with mad energy. He was engaging, he seemed in his element and put across a really positive message that needs to be shared more!

Singer Kiana T

Singer Kianna T, 19, had real clarity and wonderful projection in her voice. She had the audience singing along to 'O-V-E-R'. She looked like she enjoyed every second as she sung her heartfelt tune which she performed beautifully.

Spoken word poet Asante

Asante spoke on the topic of someone with a superiority complex. It was a powerful performance which he communicated with imagery and eloquence. He really had a way with words.

Dancer Jude

Jude's dancing was clearly influenced by the lyrics of Dave's song Psychodrama and he connected to it through his movement. His style was a combination of Hip-Hop and Contemporary. The expression of his emotion was intense and you could tell that it was real.

Rapper Briz16

Rapper Briz16 brought mad energy to the stage dancing and jumping - he had the audience vibzing! He rapped from his heart but his performance was still comedic and made the audience laugh.

Spoken word poet Phoenix - 3rd place

14-year-old Phoenix's spoken word performance displayed such a strong and empowering message about what it means to be black. Her poetry challenged stereotypes and confronted misconceptions. Even at her young age, Phoenix got across an important message. She said things that need to be heard and repeated. Two righteous standing ovations that were well deserved.

Musician Precious

Musician Precious' range in tone was mad - hitting notes from far up and down the scales and her riffs were breath-taking! She danced a certain dance with the Take it or Leave it lyrics - this Should go viral. A beautiful and talented lyricist!

Singer and Rapper K3YZS - 2nd place

K3YZS started his set off with singing. The melody had the audience feeling some type of way. His movement on stage was totally rhythmic. He spread positive energy all around as he got the audience cheering and clapping with him. He played along with the "you dropped your keys" jokes after his set too.

Dancers LMA JIJ - 1st place

The Winners of Alter Ego 2020, were dancers LMA JIJ had the audience so impressed, they were on the edge of their seats! Between the three of them, their chemistry and rhythm was undeniably amazing. They danced a range of styles to a mixture of tunes all in matching outfits. They were pure synergy!

Last year's Alter Ego winner Angelina, performed as well and her voice was beautifully soft yet powerful. She channelled her nerves into a really great performance. Her voice gave off IAMDDB vibes.

At the end, the votes were counted and it was revealed Phoenix won third place, K3YZS landed a spot in second and LMA JIJ were the official winners of Alter Ego 2020. It was a fun night and the audience plus everyone involved in running the event had a lot of fun.

Rap stars and singers JY MNTL, Darkoo and Ambush also performed on the night.