Anthony Hamilton
The fun is over, and it was a really big night for those of us who participated in A&M’s Got Talent. The show was well thought out, and it was a first-class production all the way around. This story is about my 24 hours leading up to and performing in the talent show.
I must make light of the fact that being chosen 1 of the 10 was a very big deal for me. I’ve been involved with music for decades, singing, rapping, playing instruments, and writing songs. The opportunity to perform for an audience is a joy to me, and something that I’ve always been very serious about, and our talent show was no different.
My 24 hours obviously started with rehearsal the night before the talent show. I enjoyed the opportunity to meet some students that I didn’t know, and hang out and have fun with them. The rehearsal was the opportunity to do our sound checks, and “tweak” our performances so that on Friday we would be as professional as possible.
During the course of rehearsal everyone got a bird’s eye view of their competition. I (personally) ran into trouble as a result of my work-ethic, as I worked a tad bit too hard in rehearsal, and ultimately I would pay for it during the show. I became hoarse right after rehearsal, and the big thing after rehearsal was getting home, and getting a steady diet of hot tea, honey and lemon, in an attempt to clear my voice up.
After a good night of sleep, the next morning, it was more hot tea and lemon, the a couple of light rehearsals to ensure I remembered the lyrics to my song, before stepping out to take care of errands that I’ve heard many professional singers speak of on the day of their big shows. I know from experience that a major part of any performance is appearance. Many artists don’t get the full support of record labels because their appearance is not deemed profitable. My first stop was the barber shop, followed by a pre-show meal at KFC and a trip to the cleaners to pick up my outfit.
Upon returning home, another light rehearsal before heading to school, and going to the fourth floor to unwind a bit and reflect. Now I would be lying if I said I didn’t hope to win, but anytime I participate in a show, my first order of business is giving my best. Since I was closing the show, I had a lot of time to think about my performance. The audience was lively, and our Masters of Ceremonies were very entertaining. I enjoyed every minute of the show up to my time to go on stage.
When I began my performance, I ran into the trouble I spoke of earlier. I went hoarse upon singing my first line. I tried to be a trooper about it, but I was so disappointed because of all the hard work preparing, but in reflection, it was still a lot of fun.
In closing, I want to congratulate 3rd place winner Alana Briley, 2nd place winner Shalese Mitchell, both very talented singers, and 1st place winner Malik Tucker with his dance tribute to Michael Jackson. They brought the house down! I personally am proud of all our contestants. It takes a lot of courage to stand on that stage and perform in front of a large audience. I am hoping next year will be just as much fun.