2008 Woodie Awards
UCF student expounds on her attempt at becoming an Idol
Michelle Lea Calidonio
Issue date: 12/1/08 Section: News
Christy Saunders has a dream.
She would be center stage with a microphone in hand, thousands of lights beaming down, illuminating her success. A crowd of not just the hundreds in attendance, but also the millions of viewers from home would be chanting her name. Then, Ryan Seacrest would name her the next American Idol winner at the end of the upcoming season.
More than 80,000 hopefuls line up each year with this dream day in mind too. This summer, Saunders, one of UCF's own, was among those in line,pursuing that dream.
Saunders is a senior from Jacksonville studying hospitality management, and on Aug. 15 she set out on an attempt, which would ultimately prove unsuccessful, to make her dream a reality.
With the anticipation of the upcoming season building, the Future sat down to discuss her passion for singing and her journey with American Idol:
Q. Have you always wanted to be a singer?
Always. In elementary school I would always be humming or singing.
This was a constant problem throughout my childhood, and my teachers would call my parents to try and have them control my singing in school. Apparently, I was disrupting the classroom.
Q. With phone calls home from teachers, were your parents ever unsupportive of your passion for singing?
Never; my parents have always told me to go for my dreams, even with the phone calls from school, though they made sure I wasn't misbehaving anymore.
My dream was always encouraged.
Q. Which artists have inspired you throughout your life?
Well, when I was young, say elementary school and middle school, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey were my idols.
Then, when Britney Spears came out, I was obsessed with her and knew that I wanted to be the next B Spears.
Recently, Carrie Underwood has really attracted me to her music, because country music is the kind I would be interested in singing.
Q. When did you decide that American Idol was right for you?
She would be center stage with a microphone in hand, thousands of lights beaming down, illuminating her success. A crowd of not just the hundreds in attendance, but also the millions of viewers from home would be chanting her name. Then, Ryan Seacrest would name her the next American Idol winner at the end of the upcoming season.
More than 80,000 hopefuls line up each year with this dream day in mind too. This summer, Saunders, one of UCF's own, was among those in line,pursuing that dream.
Saunders is a senior from Jacksonville studying hospitality management, and on Aug. 15 she set out on an attempt, which would ultimately prove unsuccessful, to make her dream a reality.
With the anticipation of the upcoming season building, the Future sat down to discuss her passion for singing and her journey with American Idol:
Q. Have you always wanted to be a singer?
Always. In elementary school I would always be humming or singing.
This was a constant problem throughout my childhood, and my teachers would call my parents to try and have them control my singing in school. Apparently, I was disrupting the classroom.
Q. With phone calls home from teachers, were your parents ever unsupportive of your passion for singing?
Never; my parents have always told me to go for my dreams, even with the phone calls from school, though they made sure I wasn't misbehaving anymore.
My dream was always encouraged.
Q. Which artists have inspired you throughout your life?
Well, when I was young, say elementary school and middle school, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey were my idols.
Then, when Britney Spears came out, I was obsessed with her and knew that I wanted to be the next B Spears.
Recently, Carrie Underwood has really attracted me to her music, because country music is the kind I would be interested in singing.
Q. When did you decide that American Idol was right for you?
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Bob Zamacccawitz
posted 12/03/08 @ 6:31 PM EST
This is the most exciting story/person you could come up with?
Teresa
posted 12/04/08 @ 10:52 PM EST
Good story, our experiences shape us. You are constantly changing and so this experience has changed you. It has whether you realize it or not given you more confidence. (Continued…)
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