The Southwest Orlando Idol Is Crowned - Cont'd
Southwest Orlando Idol Winner
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Michaela Kayleh of Southwest is the inaugural Southwest Orlando Idol. |
Michaela Kayleh Ask a teenager who her favorite performer is, and names such as Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake, Adele, Pink, Eminem or even Miley Cyrus would probably make the list. However, when posed with the same question, Michaela Kayleh, who just last month was crowned as the inaugural Southwest Orlando Idol, said her sister, Hana, is the one. “She is amazing, and I love to watch her perform,” she said. Kayleh started singing at 9 years old when she joined her school’s singing group. “I got to travel everywhere, like Reno, Nevada; Chicago; and even China.” she said. |
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Kayleh is no stranger to singing competitions. So, when she saw that the Southwest Orlando Bulletin was sponsoring the Southwest Orlando Idol contest, she did not hesitate to audition. “I thought it would be a great way to practice my performing skills,” she said. “I had a blast doing the competition. The moment that stood out for me was definitely when I went onstage with Shyandra and sang T.G.I.F. by Katy Perry.” Kayleh has dreams of being a recording artist and performing more locally. “I truly appreciate this wonderful opportunity and all the hard work that the staff of the Southwest Orlando Bulletin put into making it a wonderful experience,” she said. “I loved doing Southwest Orlando Idol. I made a ton of new friends and had fun on that stage.” Kayleh also plans to attend college and pursue a career as a marine mammal veterinarian. |
First Runner-Up
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Southwest resident Joao Andre is a member of a band that performs locally. |
Joao Andre “My brother saw the ad for the Southwest Orlando Idol competition and told me I should do it,” Joao Andre said. Andre has competed and placed in a number of Florida talent competitions, including Central Florida Has Talent, East Orlando’s Got Talent and Seminole’s Got Talent. “I felt like [Southwest Orlando Idol] was one of the best competitions I’ve been in, because the talent was tough, but everyone was really nice. I met up with some old friends and made some new ones.” In addition to owning a business, Andre is a member of a Brazilian band that frequently performs in the Orlando area. He has been invited to perform as an opening act for the Brazilian singer André Rios in Orlando, Fort Myers, San Diego and New York. |
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“I’ll be auditioning for The Glee Project and starting to work on writing and producing my own songs,” he said. “Since I was a kid, I always loved music and was a big fan of watching singing competitions. I want to thank everybody who made this event happen. It gave me the confidence boost [I needed] to start working on my own music, and it was a great, fun experience.” |
Second Runner-Up
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MetroWest resident Marjory DeAndrade plans to pursue singing, as well as acting and modeling. |
Marjory DeAndrade Marjory DeAndrade feels she is especially blessed to have a large family of supporters. “I want to thank my mom, Jacqueline; dad, Eduardo; and my brother, Vitor Huggo, for all of the support they have given me,” she said. DeAndrade began singing when she was 8 years old, because she wanted to start a new hobby. “My favorite performer is Carrie Underwood, because she has so much energy onstage and in her videos,” she said. “It’s just incredible what she can do and how she can sing.” DeAndrade chose to enter Southwest Orlando Idol because of her love of singing. “I wanted to participate in something I enjoy doing. |
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My experience was absolutely amazing. I thought the competition was really cool and put together well. I had such a good time and learned a lot of things.” DeAndrade will continue to sing, but she also has aspirations to model and act. |
