BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Staff Writer
Seventh grader Abigail Mundy took to the stage with a smile as she held onto the microphone.
The music cued and she began singing “Someone Like You” by Adele in the Grade 7 Division during Clarkston Idol at Clarkston Junior High School, Jan. 20.
Mundy ended the competition winning her division after the votes were tallied from the judges and Twitter.
“At first I was really excited because being on stage is a dream of mine,” she smiled. “Just winning I feel so grateful for everything I have worked for.”
“I am very proud,” added her mom, Gina. “She has worked very hard to get where she is now vocally. It’s not so much with her teachers but teaching herself. She is always in her room practicing, singing. All the time. It’s constant.”
It wasn’t the first time Abigail won Clarkston Idol, nor her second time. It was the third time she won and also the third time she won singing a song by Adele.
“I am really into Adele,” Abigail said. “I think she’s one of the artists who fits my voice. I really like her songs. It’s something about her songs that makes me want to sing them.”
She heard about Clarkston Idol from her choir teacher while she was in fifth grade and she thought it would be fun just to try out.
“My dream has always been to sing on stage. I thought ‘oh my gosh, I could have the chance to sing on stage,'” she recalled, adding when she is on stage she isn’t nervous. “I am just into it and think I am singing by myself.”
Abigail tried out and was selected to compete. She sang “Rolling in the Deep” and her voice filled the auditorium.
“The whole audience just stopped and I started crying because I had no idea,” said Gina. “From there it has taken off. Every day all day she just sings throughout the house. She is humming or tapping. Everytime she gets a chance she is out there singing.”
When it was announced she won her first Clarkston Idol she said she smiled a lot.
“I was really excited,” Abigail said.
She decided to do it again last year and sang Adele’s “Hello.” Again, her name was announced as the winner for her division.
“I was really shocked because I had a lot of competition then, too,” she said. “I didn’t think I was going to win two times. I didn’t think I would make it in the second time.”
“Mom is more nervous than her,” Gina smiled. “Abby has a natural musical talent. She hears the song and goes to the piano and plays it and she hasn’t had piano lessons. We were at a store up north and they had a xylophone. She took the mallet and swept it across and then just played ‘Twinkle, Twinkle.’ It is very neat to watch. When you watch the YouTube videos you can see how she feels the music.”
Abigail added she began singing for fun and then she really got into it and began seeing voice teachers. Through teachers she has learned breathing techniques, posture while singing, pronounciations and reading music.
Her first performance was in fourth grade at the school talent show. She stood up and sang Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.”
Abigail, currently a student at Sashabaw Middle School, admitted she doesn’t know what is next for her. Though she would like to sing at Clarkston Idol again, perform at charity events, and would like to perform the National Anthem at an athletic event.
Winners for this year’s Clarkston Idol were: Keith Garrison from Pine Knob Elementary, in the Grades 4-6 Division; Mundy from Sashabaw Middle School, Grade 7 Division; Haley Phillips from Clarkston Junior High School, Grades 8-9 Division; and Ben Neideck from Clarkston High School, Grades 10-12 Division.
“The level of talent for Clarkston Idol gets better and better every year,” said Brian Haverkate, director of Clarkston Idol. “This year was no exception with powerful performances in every age division.”
First grader Emerson Rinke from North Sashabaw Elementary sang “Somewhere Out There” from An American Tail in the non-competitive Grades K-3 Division.
“We hope to see more and more Clarkston students audition in the years to come as it’s open to all students in grades K-12,” Haverkate said.
Thirty percent of the results were from the polls on Twitter @Clarkston_Idol account and 70 percent came from the panel of judges.

  Clarkston Idol