West Kelowna’s Laura Close is about to fulfill her dream of auditioning for America’s Got Talent.
The 15-year-old singer is no stranger to the stage, she has been in singing lessons since she was 7-years-old and has been performing as part of the Fresh B.C. Talent Quest in Penticton, which she has won more than once.
The singer describes herself as shy, but when she is on stage she says she becomes another person.
“I am normally super shy in person but it’s a way to forget all of that and let yourself go,” said Close.
Denis Chaykowski, producer of Fresh B.C. Talent Quest in Penticton has been able to watch Close find herself on stage.
“When I first met her on stage she was just a shy little girl, and we were doing a sound check before the talent show, to make sure all the kids are ready and feel comfortable. She had a small voice during that and then she was ready to go and when the music played it was like oh my, what kind of little creature do we have here,” said Chaykowski.
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Close has been asking her grandmother, Kathy for two years to audition for the T.V. show, but this year she felt like she was old enough to give it a try.
“I am just so proud of her for doing it, she has worked so hard to do this,” said Kathy Close.
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The singer says that she if she doesn’t make it through the first round of auditions she will be grateful for the experience.
“I just want people to hear my voice and if it somehow makes their day a little better, whether it’s thousands of people or 10 people, I just enjoy doing it and will see what happens,” said Laura Close.
Right now she is in between two songs for her audition, either Warwick Avenue by Duffy or Love on the Brain by Rihanna that will showcase her robust and earthy voice.
Laura will be travelling to the audition in California with Kathy and her grandfather, Jim a few days before the audition on Feb. 9 to make a little vacation out of the experience.
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