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‘Idol’ tryouts hope to make first impression lasting
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Kerstin Williams, 16, of Warren performs “Call Me When You’re Sober” by Evanescence at Eastwood Mall. About 100 performed to gain a spot at the “American Idol” Pittsburgh competition.
By Jeanne Starmack
NILES
On stage at Eastwood Mall, between Charming Charlie and Victoria’s Secret, there were dreams to be dreamed and songs to be sung.
One hundred and twenty contestants were hoping Friday afternoon to win a front-of-the-line pass to a July 15 audition before an “American Idol” producer in Pittsburgh.
The one who succeeded was Tara Elkins, 25, of Warren who sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” a cappella.
Fox Youngstown is sending only the one winner on her way, with $200 in travel money and the pass “so they don’t have to wait in those super-long lines,” explained David Redig, the Fox affiliate’s assistant promotions director.
If they made it to the second and third rounds, which would be the top 12 then top three finishers, they would have one then two minutes to impress the three judges — Todd Hancock, director of Easy Street Productions; Deborah Benton, producer and host of “The Deborah Show”; and Sarah Turner, a singer and songwriter from Boardman.
But in the first round, which got under way at 3 p.m., they had only 45 seconds to make an impression before their pre-recorded music was cut off in midnote.
Ashley Gibson, 18, of Niles was singing a Mandy Moore song, “Only Hope” — her face reflecting an emotion somewhere between panic and puzzlement. She looked quickly at her mother, Michele, and her brother, 10-year-old Jason, who were sitting right in the front row of folding chairs before the stage.
Something was wrong, that was evident. But she did her best and gave her performance in a distinctive, sweet, clear voice.
“I couldn’t hear myself at the beginning at all,” she explained later. “I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh!’ You need to hear yourself.”
Ashley has never had voice lessons, just natural talent, said her mother.
A lover of pop and country music, she would like to become a professional singer.
She had her eye on the prize for Pittsburgh, but she will go there to audition no matter what, she said. Friday afternoon, she was just focused on making it to the next round.
“I love singing in front of an audience,” she said, adding that she was grateful for the more than 200 people who showed up to watch the competition.
“American Idol” is in its 11th season this year.
The annual contest at the mall is usually a big draw, with perhaps even more contestants than usual this year because the Pittsburgh audition is so close by, Redig said.
Fox Youngstown has had a contestant make it to the show before, he pointed out. Last season, Shane Golden of Youngstown made it all the way from Eastwood Mall to Hollywood before he was cut early in the show.