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Columbus Students Auditioning For American Idol

Update: Both Deshawn Goncalves and Tryzdin Grubbs received "Yes" votes from the judges. Here are links to their full auditions courtesy of American Idol.

Deshawn Goncalves audition

Tryzdin Grubbs audition

This Sunday, two Columbus City Schools students will audition for American Idol. Both 16-year-old Tryzdin Grubbs and 20-year-old Deshawn Goncalves hope their voice earns them a ticket to the next level of competition later this month in Hollywood.

Goncalves, a 2019 East High School graduate, took part in the Paragon Project's third album that same year, singing and writing the song Time Is A Teacher.

“I am where I am today because of God, my parents, the late Martha Hal, assistant principal at East High School and former Band Director at East High School and Tony Anderson, the Director of the Paragon Project at Fort Hayes,” said Goncalves, who currently studies music technology and performance at Jackson State University.

“Deshawn is an incredible talent with a wonderfully humble spirit,” said Dr. Tony Anderson, Assistant Principal at Fort HayesArts and Academic High School. “He is an old soul, and that musical knowledge coupled with his personality will serve him well.”

Meanwhile Grubbs, a sophomore at Fort Hayes, was born two and a half months premature and needed a ventilator to help his lungs develop. His mom knew he could sing when he belted out Hello by Adele at age 11.

t_singing_adele.mp3

“I have had so many people in my life that have influenced my singing,” said Grubbs. “My parents, of course; my elementary school music teacher, Ms. Kadie Renee; middle school choir teacher Ms. Susan Angle; and my high school choir teachers Mrs. Alexandria Uhlir and Dr. Martha Tepper as well as Dr. Tony Anderson.”  

Sunday night's Idol airs from 8 until 10 on ABC

Mike Foley joined WCBE in February 2000, coming from WUFT in Gainesville, Florida. Foley has worked in various roles, from producing news and feature stories to engineering Live From Studio A sessions. A series of music features Foley started in 2018 called Music Journeys has grown into a podcast and radio show. He also assists in developing other programs in WCBE's Podcast Experience. Foley hosts The Morning Mix, a weekday music show featuring emerging and established musicians, our Columbus-area and Ohio-based talent, and additional artists that inspire him.
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