For 15-year-old Laura Close from West Kelowna, performing has always been a way to express herself.
“I started singing when I was seven, taking music lessons, and I’ve been doing it ever since,” Laura said.
But these days, the hobby has turned into an opportunity. Laura’s been invited to audition for America’s Got Talent.
“My grandma just submitted me, and I got a ticket that I could go on and do it,” the young singer said.’
Laura is no stranger to performing in public.
She started auditioning years ago with a Penticton talent search event called Fresh B.C. Talent Quest and has won more than once.
This has earned her the opportunity to perform at events like the annual Penticton Peachfest.
Chaykowski says he’s seen a lot of talent come and go since starting the teen performance showcase, but he’s especially proud of Laura.
“I’m excited,” Chaykowski said. “I just think this is fantastic for her and that it’s going to open a lot of doors for her.”
Next week, Laura heads to Pasadena, Calif., where she will audition for the show’s producers in the first round of in-person auditions.
In a month or two, she’ll find out if she makes it to the next stage, which means heading back to California to compete in front of millions of people on television, including the celebrity judges.
“I’ve picked my song that I’m going to audition with and I have a backup, just in case,” Laura said. “But I’ve just been working on the 90 seconds of it a lot, and it’s just practice, practice.”
Fresh B.C. Talent Quest takes place in Penticton on the first Saturday of every month starting Feb. 2 and is open to kids between the ages of nine and 18 with any type of talent.
As for Laura, she’s taking it one day at a time.
“If I go through, I go through,” Laura said. “If I don’t, then it’s just an experience to grow and learn from.”
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