Shepherd HS Junior Gets Her Golden Ticket and Competes in American Idol
By Chris Schmidt, Communications Officer | Friday, March 30, 2012 11:51 AM
Amber Holcomb, a junior at Shepherd High School, made it to Hollywood to compete in American Idol. Holcomb runs track and field at her high school.
Photo by Photo courtesy of Amber Holcomb
"Congratulations, you’re going to Hollywood!"
For the past decade, aspiring pop divas and rock stars have longed to hear that phrase because it means they have aced their first audition on their way to becoming the next American Idol. On the latest season of the singing competition, Amber Holcomb, a junior at Shepherd High School, heard those very words.
“I was so excited I didn’t know what to do,” Holcomb said. “I’ve been wanting to audition [for American Idol] ever since I was probably about 13 or 14.”
Holcomb received her golden ticket to Hollywood after she sang Celine Dion’s “That’s the Way It Is” during the American Idol auditions in Galveston. During the judging process, Holcomb received praise from her favorite judge, Randy Jackson.
“He told me I had perfect pitch, which was really a huge compliment,” Holcomb said.
Getting past the judges was no easy task, but Holcomb has many fans and supporters in Shepherd. Last January, Holcomb received best of show honors in the school’s annual talent show with her performance of Alicia Keys’ “Falling In and Out of Love.”
She is also a member of the Pirate Pride Drill Team, runs track and field and was a member of the 2011 Homecoming court.
“The first time I ever heard her sing the national anthem at a pep rally, I felt like she should be on American Idol,” said Shepherd High School Athletic Director Bob Jones. “And unbeknownst to me, she had. She is really talented.”
Being a fan of American Idol since it’s early years, Holcomb has many favorites from the show. Past winners Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks were just a few of the contestants she watched and admired growing up.
“Not too long ago I saw [Jordin Sparks] at the parade in Dallas and the way people reacted and the way she interacted with people just made me love her even more,” Holcomb said.
During Hollywood week, Holcomb’s group performed Blu Cantrell’s “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops)” and after deliberation by judges Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, she advanced to the next round along with three other members of her group.
Holcomb said she loved “meeting all the people I did during Hollywood week. It was people from all around the world, and there were so many different personalities. I feel like it made me more social.”
After the first round of cuts in Hollywood came the Vegas round where contestants would perform hits from the ‘50s and ‘60s on the same stage where Elvis Presley performed some of his greatest hits. Holcomb’s group performed the King’s “Blue Suede Shoes” along with Danny and the Juniors’ “At the Hop.” Unfortunately, this was where Holcomb’s journey would end as the field of 70 who went to Las Vegas was cut down to 42.
Though her journey ended on American Idol, Holcomb learned a lot from the experience. And though she has been asked many times about her time on the show, she still enjoys telling the story.
“A lot of people have been asking me about it, but I don’t get tired of explaining it,” said Holcomb.
With her mixture of drive, talent and personality, chances are this will not be the last American Idol story Holcomb will get to tell.