The blues could be back to the forefront with a local voice leading the charge.

Sharika “Soal” Sawer of well-known, now dissolved, Iowa band, Ladysoal, has been offered a chance to audition for NBC’s hit show “America’s Got Talent.”

“I’ve always wanted to go on a show or do something crazy,” Sawer said. “I don’t have the courage to go on American Idol because I don’t want to go by myself.”

Getting this opportunity turned out to be fairly simple for Sawer. She submitted a video of one of the band’s previous live performances, along with a music video.

“I saw the email today and it just said: ‘We’re offering you a judges’ slot,’” Sawer said. “They don’t know what city yet, but whatever city they pick is the one I’ll have to go to.

Being offered a “judges’ slot” beings Sawer will skip the preliminary auditions and go directly to the televised auditions.

Sawer said she could travel to any city and audition from the base level, which would not guarantee getting on TV. Instead, Sawer said she would most likely take the judges’ slot, if she decides to accept the offer.

Bryon Dudley, lead singer and guitar player for local band, Strong Like Bear, said Sawer deserves this opportunity.

“I think it’s an amazing opportunity,” Dudley said. “Sharika works her butt off and I can think of no one more deserving of it than her.”

Recently, however, Sawer has gone through some drastic developments in her music career, and she said she is still considering the opportunity carefully.

Ladysoal, the band in which Sawer is the lead singer, has dissolved. Sawer noted the disbanding of Ladysoal had nothing to do with any members of the band.

Sawer’s decision about whether or not to take this leap has many factors. Her 3-year-old son, Jacob, has proved to be the largest.

“That’s been a big decision with everything that’s happened over the last few years,” Sawer said. “I have this kid who’s getting older. In a year and a half, he’s going to have to go to kindergarten. … Whatever I’m doing, I have to speed it up.”

Although nothing is set in stone, Sawer is traveling to Los Angeles this week to consider this prospect. This break could potentially gain Sawer national recognition.

“I’m just in this very transitional part of my life. I’m close to 30 and I have a 3-year-old child,” Sawer said. “What I want to do is do something like go on ‘America’s Got Talent,’ for the exposure, I want to be bigger than just a band that’s known in the central Iowa area, which I feel good about where we’re at, but it’s not paying my bills or anything. I’m ready for a more concrete career.”