“I couldn’t believe I won. I was speechless.”
Destyne Bowden, 16, of Quincy, Ill., was describing how she felt when she was named winner of the American Idol contest Friday in Hannibal. This was the first contest she had ever entered.
She has never had voice lessons, but she has been singing all her life, often joining her mother, Kris Holliday, who sings at home. “Mom is completely into music,” Destyne said.
Now she has three weeks to prepare for the next level, a competition in Denver on July 14.
She does not know if she will sing the same songs she performed Friday at Main Street Cinema 8 in Hannibal, where this first round contest was sponsored by FOX CGEM TV.
The contest was locally coordinated by WGEM TV in Quincy, where Creative Services Manager Shawn Dickerman explained she won a guaranteed audition and will be given airfare and hotel accommodations for her three days in Denver.
“It’s an opportunity that very few will get,” Dickerman added, “being able to get a guaranteed audition with American Idol producers.”
He hopes to see Destyne continue winning, noting “Destyne has a great singing voice and good personalty and is good Idol material, for sure.”
During the day-long contest Friday, he said, “everyone sang just a little bit beginning this morning, and the top 10 were selected.” Each of them sang an entire song and the judges chose the winner.
“This is the fourth year we have done this,” Dickerman said. “It is something FOX does for local stations. ... Season nine will begin in January” with people trying out now. This was the first year it was in Hannibal.
In addition to Destyne Bowden, the finalists were Mariah Jones, Leonard; Erica Graham, Hannibal; Katerra Mayfield, Quincy; Julie Ginos, Quincy; Amanda Bush, Palmyra; Katie Sharrow, Quincy; Matthew Martin, Stoutsville; Shalonda Carter, Louisiana; and Kevin Jerez, Kahoka.
Contest suggested
by her friend
Destyne’s friend, Kayla Cupp, is responsible for her entering the singing contest, she said. “My friend texted me and said we should try out together, and she didn’t get to go.”
Destyne’s grandmother, Pat Holliday, came to Hannibal with her Friday.
Her final song Friday was “Chasing Pavement” by Adele, which she described as a jazzy tune. Earlier she sang “Hollow Men,” by Justin Nozuka; and “Skin” by Alexz Johnson.
She has not decided which songs to sing in Denver; however, she is glad the contests are a cappella, explaining, “I think a cappella is easier than with music.”
Destyne has been singing in school programs since sixth grade. She will be a junior this fall at Quincy Senior High. Last year “I just did choir, and I hope to do the school musical this year,” she said.
In future years she hopes for a career as a singer/songwriter, and she has already written some songs, mostly about “things from my past.”
Considering how to succeed in music, Destyne said, “I think is has to do with personality and singing - how you carry yourself mostly and how you can perform.
“I was always pushed for what I wanted. I think you have to be self-confident to be a performer - it’s just who you are. You just know if you are a performer.”
