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Student auditions for “American Idol,” advances to Hollywood
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March 9, 2011
Alison Bartel
In Ryan Justice’s second block choir class, senior Wade Brown analyzes music in terms of pitch rhythm, but over the years Brown has discovered that music is an entity all its own that sometimes cannot be bound by a set of notes on a page. After an explosive “American Idol” audition in Nashville, it seems Brown’s talent cannot be bound either.
For Brown, ever since he was 5 or 6 years old, singing came like breathing; it was just something he did to pass the time on a walk or a bus ride.
“I just love music. My mom was always playing music and singing and playing the piano,” Brown said, “She was always playing that piano.”
Brown used the music as a form of expression, an “art,” discovering a supreme talent as he gained experience from constant practice and sporadic vocal lessons.
“I love the art aspect of it. With all types of music come the lyrics, the concept of the song, and the melody,” Brown said.
Taking this musical art form to the next level, Brown entered the NAACP Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics competition in 2009, earning first place in his category locally and advancing to a national competition in New York City. Though he did not place nationally, Brown earned valuable experience that can be put to use during his career on “American Idol.”
Brown also gains skill and stage presence by performing weekly in the choir class’s “Performance Friday.” Singing anything from “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley to “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding, Brown readily admits that his taste in music is teasingly varied.
“There’s music for any feeling or any mood. They call me a ‘music head.’ You can find me listening 24-7, anything from Kanye to Queen to Al Green,” Brown said.
Perhaps his varied taste is a result of the many years sitting week after week by the television, glued to “American Idol,” his great-grandmother at his side. His most significant inspiration, she pushed Brown towards greatness, pointing towards the screen and imagining him on it.
“She was always very supportive of anything I did. When I was sad, she was the comfort. She would help me out when I was discouraged. We would sit and watch “American Idol” and she would tell me that one day, that would be me,” Brown said.
