My Spotlight Experience…

After deciding to audition for the University of the Cumberlands talent show, I went straight from the computer screen to the auditions. Going in to the audition I had made myself sick from nerves. Once stepping into the audition room, all the nerves suddenly disappeared. It was like a wave of peace had washed over me. After singing my heart out to House of the Rising Sun by the Animals, I made it in! I had never been more proud of myself for accomplishing something that I was absolutely terrified of! But the next performance would be in front of the student body with duet partners….

Leaving the room knowing who my duet partner was going to be was honestly terrifying. Just so you all know, I am a lower alto with a deep rustic voice. That night I got paired with a rapper. I was hoping to get paired with another so we could belt it out with one another but the odds just weren’t in my favor. Spotlight kept getting closer and all my energy was focused on trying to get my partner to come to practice! She met with me one time before the show on Tuesday and didn’t even know the lyrics when we met.

Here I am Tuesday night doing sound check before the show and she just completly stops rapping. She had forgotten her lyrics again. Once we got on stage to perform for the student body things started smoothly until we got half way through the song. I thought we had made it until she just suddenly stopped rapping and bowed her head and placed her fist in the air. Her I am standing there trying not to show the signs of distress on my face as my partner had left me standing there in charge of the rest of her parts. All I could do was to improvise to the best of my ability. The rest of the song was off beat and I got hounded by the judges while my partner got praised for her not so excellent performance.

Now if I mess something up, you better believe I will take the responsibility for my actions. Later that night, I was eliminated while my partner went on to the next round. While I was proud of the performance I had delievered that night. I couldn’t help but be disappointed. Simply for the fact that while I was left in the dust to make up for her lacking performance, I was the one who got punished in the end.

If you have ever heard the saying “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” I am here to tell you that it’s 100% true no matter how unfortunate it is.

 

XOXO

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