I was but a number, a number out of twenty thousand individuals whose dreams were a duplicate of mine; to be the next American Idol. It was a hot morning in Nashville Tennessee, and as I walked towards the Bridgestone Arena, I could hear an array of singers scream on the top of their lungs. The moment the gargantuan arena came into view, I swear my heart came to a complete standstill. With my mouth wide open, I stared upon a profusion of camera equipment, thousands and thousands of vocalists, and Ryan Seacrest being interviewed. After two hours of compelling us to say; "We love American Idol", we were finally escorted us to our seats within the arena. Eight long dreadful hours passed and I was still nervously waiting on my petite chair.
It was about seven o'clock at night when they subsequently called my section to audition. There were twelve tables of judges in which four people were placed in front of. I could feel sweat dripping down my face and my heart racing. It all came down to the opinion of one judge and twenty seconds of a song. When the moody judge pointed at me, I smiled and sang "Mercy" by Duffy. Acceptance rate was only one percent, so I knew this would be all but luck. When the judge pulled all four of us forward, I knew I didn't make it. I was not as heartbroken as I thought I would be because school has always been first in my book but that didn't mean I was going to surrender. The moment you quit is the moment you truly fail.
I flew out to Milwaukee, Wisconsin a few days later and once again did not pass the first round. Even then, my hopes were not defeated, and I knew if I kept trying, I'd make it through. After all, a champion is somebody who gets up, even if they can't; I was going to give up now.
It was a cold, windy morning in San Francisco, California and when the judge pulled me forward and smiled, I knew everything I'd done was worth it. I made it past five other rounds, and even got to meet the celebrity judges.
Each audition and attempt made me a stronger person and taught me one of the most valuable lessons of all; if you're driven and persistent, any dream, any obstacle, and any challenge can be tackled. Even though I was crushed inside, I am proud that I did not let it affect me and just kept on trying. This journey has made me the courageous and driven person I am today.
Weaknesses, setbacks, and failures are a part of life. However, due to my life changing experience, I now know how to overcome these imperfections, not be dictated by them.
I am but a number, a number out of thousands, but believe me, I will strive to excel.
Michelle Montezeri
Nashville Texas
Wiscon. Milkwaukee
San Francisco
L.A. California
