Kelly Hicks, a psychology major from Sleepy Hollow, Ill., was the winner of the first-ever Bradley Idol competition, held in April, with her interpretation of the Whitney Houston classic, “I Have Nothing.”
I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember; I sang in choir and musical theater. As a kindergartener, my class sang this little song at my mom’s workplace. Afterward, “Feliz Navidad” started playing and since it was one of my favorite Christmas songs, I ran back up on stage and started lipsyncing in front of everyone!
I like Beyoncé — that’s a classic answer. Otherwise, I’m a really big fan of musicals. Sara Bareilles’ musical, “Waitress,” is my favorite, and Lin-Manuel Miranda is just a musical genius. He’s an inspiration.
Growing up, I didn’t really have any stage fright, but now I definitely do. I think it’s important to surround yourself with people who support you and can give you that confidence boost when you’re not feeling it. Also, believing in yourself is key.
I know every single lyric to (George Michael’s) “Careless Whisper” and I play it all the time. I also like a lot of joke songs or mashups, like “Thomas the Tank Engine” paired with rap music. I have a lot of weird music on my phone that no one would actually listen to, but I do.
I’m a sophomore right now, but I’m planning to go to graduate school and study art therapy. Besides looking into various programs, I’m just continuing to be creative. I love all forms of art, not just music.
ABOVE: Photo by Duane Zehr
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