Washington High School (WHS) junior Brooklynn Stanley has been accepted into a talent competition hosted by “Celebration of Music,” a talent search group that gives talented singers, musicians, bands and dancers who are between the ages of 4 and 25 an opportunity to share that talent.
Contestants send in audition tapes and are selected to advance in a competition.
The competition Stanley is participating leads to a live performance at a concert in Columbus at the Lincoln Theatre. Only two contestants out of 24 will be chosen to sing live. One contestant will be chosen by those in charge and, according to Stanley, is called the “Producers choice.” The other contestant who will win is the “People’s choice awards.”
The People’s Choice Award is decided by votes. Those in the contest have profiles on the Celebration of Music website. One vote per email is allowed. Voting will also take place at the concert in Columbus. When someone votes in-person at the concert, one vote counts as 10.
The winners will be announced during the concert and those winners will then sing live. Brooklynn explained that all the contestants must be ready to sing as they won’t know who actually won until the concert. The winners will also receive a trip to Los Angeles for another performance.
Brooklynn is the daughter of Matt Stanley, the WHS band director, and Holly Stanley, a music educator of 23 years. Brooklynn’s brother, Carter Stanley, graduated from WHS in 2018 and is currently attending and marching at Ohio University.
Brooklynn gave many compliments to her family. She said, “I’m extremely thankful and fortunate. They’ve helped me grow as a musician and they always tell me ‘Whatever you want to do we will always support you.’ I’m just very fortunate they’ve been with me every step of the way.”
Brooklynn grew up in Washington Court House. As a current WHS student, she is actively involved in both band and choir, Rhythm and Blue Dance Team and student government.
“I really just have a passion for performing. I love being able to share a little bit of myself with an audience and really being able to connect with them in that kind of way,” she said. “I really have been around music my entire life. I feel like it is so much of who I am that now it’s just a part of me. It’s something that I’d like to share with everyone.”
Brooklynn said she is most excited to meet all of the other contestants as they haven’t had the chance to meet yet. “They all seem like really interesting people,” she said. “I just like making new friends whenever I get the chance to.”
Brooklynn’s ultimate goal for the future is to go to New York to pursue her passion for performing. She wants to “become a Broadway star.” After high school, she does plan to go to college although she hasn’t decided which college to attend yet.
She’ll be doing auditions for various colleges and shows at a camp in New York this summer. She is excited for that camp as the cast of “Wicked” will act “kind of like mentors.”
Brooklynn wanted to tell everyone, “I feel like Fayette County has been very supportive of me and I greatly appreciate everyone in this town.” She explained further, “I’m proud to represent Fayette County and I think it would be an amazing opportunity for me to represent Fayette County in Los Angeles. So, vote for me and lil’ ol’ Fayette County will be out there!”
To vote for Brooklynn, go to https://celebrationofmusic.com/brooklynn-stanley?fbclid=IwAR2wQvfdoOQUIjKxziENV-vKoF4Dal_j9E_7kGx9ggPz0WSawHLpSZlRVzg or you can go to celebrationofmusic.com click on “contestants,” click the upcoming Columbus show and that will lead you to all the contestants being voted on. Brooklynn’s profile is among them.
Those interested in attending the concert and voting for her there can also buy tickets through the Celebration of Music website.
Reach Jennifer Woods at 740-313-0355 or on Twitter @kenanipel.