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Idol champions revealed after final performances

By Nika Anschuetz new Multimedia Editor 4 min read
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A crowded Goodwin Performing Arts Center fell silent, anxiously awaiting the reveal of Season 10’s Waynesburg Idol.

“And the winner is Sheryl Sesay!” said host Chris Kellner.

Sesay, a sophomore psychology major, is no stranger to the Waynesburg Idol stage. As a freshman, Sesay auditioned for Waynesburg Idol and placed second overall.

“I was a bit hesitant at first. This has been my second year trying out and I was afraid that my voice wasn’t up to par because it’s been so long since I have performed solo,” said Sesay. “But knowing that I already had the experience from last year, I took that as strength to tackle this year.”

In the finale, Sesay showcased her wide vocal range by signing “Hero,” by Mariah Carey.

“Sheryl brought down the house, in her usual fashion, and took home the well deserved first place prize,” said judge Bailey Thorn. “Sheryl is a power-house singer who showcases her incredible range in each of her performances in purposeful ways. She isn’t just talented, she’s smart in how she showcases her talent and range.”

Sheryl attended CAPA, a performing arts high school in Pittsburgh, where she learned how to cultivate her singing abilities. She also had the opportunity to sing for President Barack Obama while she was participating in a pre-college program at Carnegie Mellon University.

With such amazing experiences, Sesay has remained thankful and humble through it all.

“I keep myself humble through every opportunity given to me because I know that I was not granted them without God,” said Sesay. “Without Him, I have nothing. I know what it feels like to live a life full of adversity. When you don’t have much of anything to call your own, you start to appreciate everything and anything.”

The title comes with a $300 reward, but for Sesay, it isn’t about the money.

“Money is a materialistic item, and I really mean it when I say that it’s not about the money,” said Sesay. “Money cannot buy the moment or the feeling inside to be crowned Waynesburg’s Idol. It feels so good because all my hard work paid off.”

Sesay will be giving a portion of her winnings to her church.

The finale consisted of the top four singers and each of the contestants sang a song from the 90’s or 2K.

Kiana Levi, a sophomore entrepreneurship major, received second place and sang “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You” by Rod Stewart. Levi dedicated this song to her father and walked through the audience to give him a flower.

Levi is thankful for the opportunity to showcase her talent.

“Words cannot express my gratitude,” said Levi. “Dedicating the song to my dad and giving him the rose in the instrumental portion of the song really brought it home for me. I am so thankful to the voters for voting for me.”

Shonah Russel, a senior human services major, received third place and performed Sara Bareilles’ breakout hit, “Love Song.”

Russel enjoyed her experience on Waynesburg Idol.

“It was a time of growth in regards to new friendships being formed and stretching ourselves out of our comfort zones,” said Russel. “I wish my last performance would have been better.”

Adam Kirasic, a freshman sports broadcasting major, sang “Your Man” by Josh Turner. Kirasic is thankful for the chance to perform and applauded the girls who placed.

“All three of those girls who placed have such amazing voices,” said Kirasic. “My experience with this show had me looking forward to Fridays every week. It’s all about the music.”

Waynesburg Idol has become somewhat of a fall tradition at Waynesburg University. Each year brings out different contestants with a variety of talents.

“I think it’s safe to assume that this competition brings out more and more talent each year,” said Thorn. “I’m sure the talent will only continue to grow on campus and the competition for each of the performers [will] become more and more difficult.”

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