Panther Idol

Panther Idol gives Carolina Forest students a chance to showcase their talents to their peers, teachers and parents.

Many individuals work hard every year to hold auditions, select acts, and choose winners. There was a lengthy audition process for judges Sean O’Malley and Kraig McBroom in order to choose the best performers. There were 38 auditioning acts, but only 20 were chosen.

“The most challenging part is choosing the winners,” commented Sean O’Malley.

Each act incorporated their personality into their performance, and the judges enjoyed seeing the diversity in the different acts.

“Some [performers] were very laid-back, smooth and relaxed while others chose songs to show their energy,” said Kraig McBroom.

Out of 20 acts, the judges chose the following: Kaiya and Kohen Hickey won first place by performing a cover of “Cringe” by Matt Mason; Lila Myers and Anna Spencer obtained second place with Anna’s contemporary dance to Lila’s cover of “Can’t Let Go” by Adele; and Alberto Gomez placed third with his rendition of “Death of a Bachelor” by Panic! At The Disco.

This wasn’t the first time for some performers. Alberto Gomez, a senior, has participated in previous Panther Idol shows.

“I was relieved and excited when I won; the hard work I put in finally paid off.” said Gomez.

The students and our Performing Arts staff put in many hours of hard work to put forth their best effort on stage. Many of the performers weren’t nervous about being on stage, but they felt the butterflies right before they performed. Performers like Kaiya and Kohen have been on stage for most of their lives, so they were excited to showcase their talents in front of an audience.

“I love connecting with my sister and hearing the crowd get into the song with us,” said Kohen Hickey about his performance.

Find your muse and plan on sharing your talent for next fall’s show!