Sing it loud, sing it proud

Sarah Haas
April 9, 2008

After a round of preliminaries last week, the top singing talents at Iowa State are battling Thursday night for the title of Cyclone Idol.

Hosted by former 98 Degrees member Jeff Timmons, the event will determine who can claim the rights to the best singing voice on campus.

Unlike the previous round, which was held in the intimate setting of the M-Shop, the performers will be on center stage in front of a crowd of family, fellow students and community members.

The opportunity to perform in front of a large group of people pushed one finalist to enter the competition.

“As a music major, I do like to perform in front of people, and the chance to win a little extra money doesn’t hurt either,” said Jesse Donner, sophomore in aerospace engineering and music.

The competitors picked songs based on their personal styles and musical abilities.

Audra Lloyd, sophomore in biology, will channel the powerful voices of music mavens such as Aretha Franklin and Carole King as she performs their song “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.”

“It’s a power song,” Lloyd said. “I have always liked that it’s a song about being a strong woman.”

Donner also chose a song that would exemplify his interests in music.

“I chose ‘You Raise Me Up’ by Josh Groban because there have been a lot of people who have told me that I sound a lot like him,” Donner said. “I also picked it because it’s a pop music competition, and he’s both a classical singer and a singer of popular music. So it’s comfortable for me because I think I have a more classical voice.”

By listening to their songs on repeat in their rooms or houses, the competitors will attempt to emulate the vocal performances of their songwriters while adding their own special flavor.

“To be honest, I haven’t been putting in a lot of work on it because I have a lot of other work to do,” Donner said. “A lot of times I just have the song on in the background of whatever I’m doing.”

Lloyd also uses homework time to prepare.

“Really, it’s kind of crazy, because I’ll be singing in my dorm room and my neighbors will knock on my door and ask me what exactly I’m doing,” she said.

“I just listen to the song a lot and sing it constantly in my head.”

Their efforts will be judged tonight. The winner will be awarded $300, and prizes of $100 and $50 will be given to the runners-up.

Cyclone Idol finals

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

Where: Stephens Auditorium

Host: Jeff Timmons, founding member of 98 Degrees

Cost: Free

10 Finalists

Jesse Donner, sophomore in aerospace engineering and music

Julie Hallman, sophomore in dietetics

Neil Hewitt, freshman in agricultural studies

Melissa Hight, senior in music