Junior Caitlin Leiker had the opportunity to try out for a singing competition called “KAKE Idol” on Aug. 15.

KAKE Idol is organized by KAKE News in Wichita. The competition gives citizens of Kansas the opportunity to earn a spot on American Idol.

The winner of the competition wins an American Idol Silver Ticket, which guarantees him or her an audition with the executive producer of the show. If the producer approves of the audition, the singer will continue to audition for the celebrity judges.

The top 10 runners-up of the competition win front-of-the-line passes to the live auditions held in Wichita next month.

For Leiker’s audition, she chose to sing “I Feel the Earth Move” by Carol King. Leiker explained that it was one of her favorite songs.

“It’s about being so in love that you feel like your whole world is being shaken up,” Leiker said. “To me, it also seems to radiate a feeling of empowerment that’s pretty contagious.”

In order to prepare, Leiker went in search of vocal director Alex Underwood’s assistance.

“He said that he wanted to help me strategize a way that would make my performance memorable,” Leiker said. “Together, Alex and I analyzed and discussed the performance of last year’s winner, Emma Grace Smith,” Leiker said.

According to Leiker, this helped her focus on putting important factors into her performance.

“Her recording was only a minute long, so it wouldn’t feel like a million years to sit through and would leave the audience wanting more,” Leiker said. “She chose a song that really complemented her voice, and she showed off her range and power through riffing and belting. That’s essentially what I set out to do in my own way.”

Leiker was not a finalist in the competition, but she said she appreciated the extra audition experience.

“I didn’t win anything, but I still learned a valuable lesson about drawing inspiration from strong sources,” Leiker said.
Leiker said, if given the opportunity, she will continue to audition for events such as this one.

“A wise friend once told me that you can’t be any less of a part of something than you already are,” Leiker said.

“That’s basically a confusing way of telling you to just get out there and try. The worst they can tell you is ‘no.’ You won’t always be what people are looking for, and that’s just fine, but you should also remember that your improvement is up to you.”

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