County High School Sophomore Wins 2026 Tuscaloosa’s Got Talent Contest

Kaarina Moore, a 15-year-old sophomore at Tuscaloosa County High School, was crowned the champion of Tuscaloosa's Got Talent 2026 contest Saturday night at the Bama Theatre in Downtown Tuscaloosa.

Tuscaloosa's Got Talent is sponsored by Drishti for Humanity and benefits the Alabama Cancer Care Angel Network. With 44 contestants in this year's competition, Kaarina won with a beautiful performance of "Never Enough" from the film The Greatest Showman.

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"I'm so grateful. I was ecstatic," Kaarina said when asked how she felt upon hearing she won. "All of the other participants were really good, and I want to encourage each of them to continue to pursue their talents and dreams."

The TCHS sophomore said she wants to become a meteorologist.

The competition featured a diverse lineup of singers, dancers, instrumentalists, groups, and other artists from throughout the West Alabama area, representing various backgrounds and ages. A panel of five judges provided evaluations and selected the winners.

Lisa Jones and Johnnie Aycock, the hosts of the Noon Show on Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa's Catfish 100.1, served as hosts for the event.

Second place went to Tamara Edwards, who sang "The Impossible Dream," and third place went to Eugene Dunn, who performed a dramatic reading.

Drishti is a community-driven nonprofit organization focused on humanitarian causes and hands-on service in the Tuscaloosa and West Alabama region. It blends arts, culture, and philanthropy to support people and organizations in need. The term "Drishti" means focus or vision. For more information, visit their site here.

The Alabama Cancer Care Angel Network is a statewide support system for cancer patients and families, helping them through the treatment process — not just medically, but practically and financially — including in the West Alabama community. The Angel Network works to bridge those gaps, ensuring patients can access all services and complete care. For more information, visit www.alcancercare.com.

Editor's note: This story was submitted by the hosts of the Noon Show on WTBC Catfish 100.1 FM, which is owned by the same parent company as the Tuscaloosa Thread.