She competed with 240 college student singers from 112 colleges in 40 states. She made the top 25 semi-finals and competed there.
Now, Danielle Mullenix of Fairhope has been selected for the top 10 finalists of the "NextGen National Collegiate Vocal Competition." She heads to New York City on January 19 with an all-expense-paid trip to perform live at Lincoln Center.
Here are the 10 finalists who will continue the competition in New York:
Amia Korman, Indiana University Bloomington
Amanda McGovern, West Virginia University
Danielle Mullenix, University of Alabama
Sophia O’Brien, Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts
Carlos Peréz, Western Connecticut State University
Lazarus Rashid, Howard University
Josh Thone, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee
Deanna Jolie Thomas, Montclair State University
Noah Van Ess, Carnegie Mellon University
Myriam Zamy, New York University.
Danielle is an actress and dancer as well as a singer.
At age eight, Danielle saw “The Phantom of the Opera” and fell in love with performing. She made her professional debut at age seventeen in "The Toy Shoppe" and "Band Geeks" alongside Sean McDermott and Jason Forbach at Everblue Arts.
Danielle is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in musical theatre with a minor in news media from The University of Alabama. She believes her purpose is to be a storyteller and is exploring this passion in different mediums. She writes reviews for theatrical productions and news stories covering the performing arts scene on the University of Alabama campus.
When not involved with UA Theatre and Dance, Danielle serves as an Ambassador for the College of Arts and Sciences, is the PR Coordinator for Alpha Psi Omega at UA, is on the PR committee for HerCampus, and is a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority. In April 2023, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences awarded Danielle the Outstanding Sophomore Award.
The theme of the competition is “NextGen National: Finding the Voice of Tomorrow.” It is sponsored by the American Pops Orchestra (APO) and is in its eighth year.
APO was founded in 2015 with a mission to build community through the preservation, promotion, and reimagination of American popular music.
This new, distinctly “American” orchestra brings together versatile musicians, combines classical and reimagined programming focused on American popular music, and presents concerts with an approachable, fresh spin to engage diverse audiences and make attending a live orchestral show more fun than ever.
APO aims to deliver popular American classics to those who already know and love them, while also introducing these timeless pieces to younger generations in approachable settings.
APO’s NextGen competition can be a doorway into a musical career.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler writes about Alabama’s people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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