The third annual Clocker Idol singing competition was held at the high school this past December. It was hosted by the previous winner, sophomore Peter Saxionis. Brave, passionate young singers, Allen Brodskiy, Julia Caruso, Haley Boccuzzi, Melina Karpouzis, Adrianna Fawkes, Emilia Fonseca and Anne Fejer, each performed in front of an entire auditorium. All contestants performed spectacularly, but Kiara Leak, a sophomore, stood out above the rest. I interviewed Leak, asking her what it was like to win and what she learned.
Q: When did you start singing? What does music and singing mean to you?
Kiara Leak: I’ve been singing pretty much since I started to talk. Music and singing has always been a part of my life. It has allowed me to express myself in a different way.
Q: What is Clocker Idol? What steps did you have to take to get into it?
L: Clocker Idol is our school’s version of the American Idol singing competition. The process to participate is to audition and the judges pick the contestants who will sing and compete in the show. I participated last year. Since it was only the school’s second competition and my first year participating, it was pretty nerve racking. This year, the people who performed last year seemed to be more confident and people who participated for the first time had confidence as well.
Q: How did you prepare? What was your mindset?
L: Leading up to Clocker Idol, I was nervous. I was unsure if I would have confidence on stage. Then after a while of thinking and mentally preparing for that night, I realized that it was not about winning, it was about proving to myself that I could have the confidence and stage presence that I have been missing for years.
Q: What was your actual performance like?
L: My songs for Clocker Idol were Back to Black by Amy Winehouse and Glitter in the Air by Pink. I honestly thought I would be filled with nerves, but to my surprise, the second I got up on that stage I felt pretty good and comfortable. I remember mostly seeing the other contestants and they were really supportive and encouraging.
Q: How did the crowd, your friends, and family react to it?
L: After I performed, some people were a little shocked. People who have heard me sing mostly know me as being shy on stage, and I tried to completely turn away from that and step outside of who they thought I was and become more of who I know I am when I am performing, and my family and friends were really happy that I had finally done that. I was honestly completely shocked when I won. I was of course happy, but it didn’t really set in that it actually happened until the following day.
Q: Did you ever have any doubts, setbacks, or mess-ups, and if so, how did you overcome them? How do you plan to continue pursuing music in your future?
L: There were a few setbacks throughout this whole process, but ultimately it became clear that it wasn’t 100 percent about winning, it was about having fun. Music has always been and will always be a part of my life. I love to perform so I plan on continuing that. And I really hope to remember how good it felt to just sing on the stage and not put so much pressure on myself.
Q: What advice would you give others about taking chances and dreaming?
L: Some advice I would give to others is to not hold back on something because you think you aren’t good enough, because anything can happen and it’s important to take chances and risks. Sometimes it’s better to relax about a situation, and when it comes to performing, just have fun and enjoy the moment.