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Here is an interview that ninetyandnine.com did.
Winning "American Idol" (Kentucky-style)
An Interview with Kristyn Leigh
By Kent d Curry
September 15, 2003
(Editor’s Note: ninetyandnine.com will be publishing periodic articles on Apostolics who are pursuing non-traditional channels to share the Gospel. If you know of anyone who is doing this, email us a short bio/description at
editor@ninetyandnine.com.)
High school senior Kristyn Leigh describes herself as “pretty boring. I have lived in the same house all my life, attended the same school campus all my life, and have attended the United Pentecostal Church (UPC) of LaGrange, Kentucky all my life.”
Yet God’s given her notable musical talents. Besides singing, she plays the piano, cello, flute, and keyboards. At eleven, she earned the role of a Gingerbread child in the Kentucky Opera’s production of “Hansel and Gretel;” from that point she participated in church, community, school, and all-state choirs, then, this past summer, she was chosen to attend the prestigious Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts, a scholarship program held for three weeks at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky.
Then, the “WHAS Saturday Morning Superstar” contest was announced. In January-February, 2003, this AM Talk/Pop station, hoping to cash in on the American Idol craze, hosted their own competition with local talent.
90&9.com: Tell us about the WHAS “American Idol” contest.
KL: My dad heard about it advertised on WHAS. Anyone could enter. From the (about 60) entries, the producers of the show chose 10 finalists. The finalists were played on the air for one month. The radio audience called in each week with the group or soloist they wanted “off” or out of the contest.
90&9.com: Do you mean that the 10 finalists all went against each other with all 10 songs playing throughout the week?
KL: The contest was aired on Saturdays. All ten songs were played the first Saturday, the second Saturday nine, and so on, till there were only two left.
90&9.com: What type of music did the other finalists sing?
KL: Pop, country, and rock
90&9.com: Did you have a song already recorded or did you have to record one?
KL: I work with a Christian songwriter, recording his demos, so I already had a song recorded.
90&9.com: Why did you decide to enter?
KL: I thought it would be fun . . . and good experience
90&9.com: So what happened?
KL: I won!
90&9.com: How did you find out you won?
KL: I was very nervous that morning, waiting for the results. They played the two songs one final time, and then tallied the results. Of course, they had to have a news break and then a commercial before they announced the winner. When they announced me, “Kristyn Leigh,” as the winner, I was in total shock.
90&9.com: Total shock? Or did you have every relative in the world calling in and voting for you?
KL: No, I wanted to see if the “average person” liked me. I don’t have enough relatives to make that much of a difference, and my church group is small also.
90&9.com: Do you have any idea how the public has responded?
KL: Several people who didn’t know I sang asked for my (sampler) CD. I am now starting to get invitations from other churches in the area.
90&9.com: By “several people” do you mean other Christians? School friends? Who?
KL: Really all of the above. I gave CD’s to all my neighbors, lots of kids at school, and some of my teachers. They announced it over the intercom at my school. My Dad sent a CD to the school superintendent.
90&9.com: Did you receive any witnessing opportunities through this contest?
KL: The city of Louisville and the surrounding areas got to hear a Christian song (on a talk/pop station). I am still in touch with the producers of the show. They are even getting a video of the night I sang at Youth Congress. Who knows what will happen?
90&9.com: What has happened so far?
KL: I have had several (like almost everyone) that have heard “The Path” say they cried while listening to it. God can touch tender hearts.
90&9.com: Did you receive any musical/career opportunities by winning?
KL: I received a gift certificate from a music store in Louisville to help enhance my career. I purchased a drum set with it (percussion is one of the instrumental groups I have yet to play). I received an invitation from a recording studio to help me get started in my career. Turned it down—too much money up front.
90&9.com: Speaking of Youth Congress 2003, tell us about your experience.
KL: I was nervous, but not really scared. I guess my greatest fear was that my fellow peers would think I wasn’t good enough to be on stage at Youth Congress.
90&9.com: Had you ever been before a large crowd before?
KL: The largest crowd was at Kentucky District Camp, there was probably 1,500 there.
90&9.com: What did you sing?
KL: I sang “ The Path” because I prayed about what to sing and that song stuck in my mind. I was glad I chose it because I felt it went along with the whole “elevate” theme.
90&9.com: How did the crowd respond?
KL: When I was on stage, I couldn’t see or hear anything but myself. I could feel God’s anointing though, and I hope the crowd did also.
90&9.com: Your sampler CD was passed out at Youth Congress. What’s the response been to that?
KL: A lot of people stopped me in the halls and in the hotel lobby to say they enjoyed it. Some even asked for my autograph. That was really cool.
90&9.com: Before you go, tell us a little about the Kentucky Governors School for the Arts. What type of training did that provide?
KL: The Kentucky Governors School for the Arts (GSA) was a summer program. I was selected to participate in the vocal discipline, after a long and grueling admission process. I, along with 29 other vocalists, participated in choir, ensembles, and personal solo pieces (which were usually in Italian). At GSA I sang an Italian aria for my solo piece (it was about a girl who has a crush on a guy who doesn’t like her); it sounds pretty in Italian.
We learned over ten pieces of music, the longest being 23 pages. We spent countless hours working on choral pieces with our director, and on our own. We also had private vocal lessons three times a week with our particular vocal coach. We also observed and critiqued others as they performed. We had master classes with the alumni of the GSA program and we all performed in front of these masters. We all had to be prepared to perfection as the masters critiqued us. We had daily diction, sight reading, and theory classes, making us all better musicians. On the final day we all sang our solo pieces that we had worked on with our coaches, performed as a choir, and had a short graduation ceremony.
GSA was not all work however, there was a lot of “fun” stuff. Every day we viewed different performers from other disciplines such as instrumental music, dance, art, creative writing, etc. We also saw performers who now tour with operas and musicals. We met poets and authors. I met lots of new and best friends, because we all share the same goals, and a love for music.
GSA does not end here though. We can now participate in alumni master classes, and even be a residential advisor. This fall we will be attending the first ever GSA reunion of 25 years to be held at The Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville. There will be performances by different disciplines, and is the kickoff for the Lion King Broadway musical. All students who participated in this summers GSA program are invited to an “invitation only” college day, and be able to audition for up to 100 colleges at the same time for scholarships and admission. (We also were able to “attend the church of our choice” on Sundays with a residential advisor. I took my RA with me to the UPC in Lexington.)
90&9.com: Wow! It sounds prestigious!
KL: GSA is a very coveted summer program. Only the “best of the best” are chosen for this program. We first had to send in basic information and a musical essay to the GSA board. We then had to send in teacher and guidance recommendations. The last step was a very difficult audition. As a vocal student I had to sing a solo piece, sight read a musical phrase, and be interviewed by the judges. There were 1,200 students that auditioned, only 230 were accepted for the program. There were only 30 final vocalists accepted out of 500 that originally applied for the program.
90&9.com: Finally, what type of Christian music do you like to listen to?
KL: Contemporary Christian—Jaci Velasquez, FFH, and plus one are my favorites.
90&9.com: What type of music do you sing?
KL: Christian—because I want to do God’s work through music.
Final Words
After the interview, ninetyandnine.com found out that Kristyn is scheduled to be interviewed and sing on October 11 by WAVE-TV, channel 3 in Louisville. She is planning on singing “The Path,” the same song she sang at Youth Congress.
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© 2003, ninetyandnine.com
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Kent d Curry is an executive editor of ninetyandnine.com.
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