BHS Alum Brandon LeRoy Finalist in "Mountaineer Idol"
By Julie Perine on September 02, 2014 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
Just off the West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival stage, BHS alum Brandon LeRoy is off to Mountaineer Idol finals at West Virginia University.
Along with 14 other finalists, LeRoy will participate in the first elimination round this Friday at the Mountainlair.
“Around 50 auditioned last Wednesday. They picked the top 15 with the highest scores from the panel of judges and I was selected in the top 15,” he said. “We had to prepare a 30-second audition.”
LeRoy’s audition choice was Josh Groban's “Per Te” - half the song in English and the other half in Italian. Being a bilingual vocalist, he thought such a performance might earn him a nod for uniqueness.
“Judges are always looking for that little something different in the contestant’s voice, so I thought since singing in Italian is already one of my specialties, it could be that slight edge that boosts me into the top 15, and obviously it worked!”
LeRoy is keeping Friday’s selection under wraps. Hopefully, it will gain favor of audience and the judges. The “Mountaineer Idol” elimination process is the same as the famed TV show.
“It follows the same concept and the exact same rules because it is the same company, just a collegiate branch,” he said.
The winner will be awarded $1,000 and a paid trip to see an American Idol episode. A longtime fan of the show, LeRoy would be thrilled for that opportunity. Yet, that’s not solely what drives him to pursue the Mountaineer Idol title.
“This has always been a dream of mine since I was a freshman at WVU and saw my first performance,” he said. “…I always thought I was too busy and then this year (as a senior) I was determined to make time to audition – and I am glad I did.”
Three contestants will be eliminated following Friday’s 8 p.m. preliminaries.
“Then there’s an elimination round every Friday when two to three get eliminated,” LeRoy said.
By week five, there will be only one man - or one woman – standing. Stay tuned to Connect-Bridgeport to see how it all turns out.
The reigning Mountaineer Idol is Skip Smith.
"It was a fantastic experience," he said. "It gives all of the contestants so much exposure around campus. And it's so much fun to get up on stage and do what we all love best!"
Dates, times and themes of upcoming competition nights are as follows:
Friday, Sept. 5, 8 p.m.,“Song from your Idol”
Friday, Sept. 12, 8 p.m. “80’s Night”
Friday, Sept. 26, 8 p.m., “Country” (Fall Family Weekend)
Friday, Oct. 3, 9 p.m., “Oldies” (Homecoming Weekend)
Friday, Oct. 17, 8 p.m., “Broadway and 21st Century”
Sunday, Nov. 2, 3 p.m., Final Competition
Editor's Note: LeRoy is shown, top, singing on the West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival stage and below as a Bridgeport High School senior, class of 2011, when he served as drum major.
